Losing Your Memory
by Camille22
Summary: Regina managed to bring everyone into this world, taking victory with her curse, but Rumpelstiltskin didn't let her get away with it. She lost her memory as everyone else. And baby Emma is in Storybrooke. - A story around Mary Margaret - Emma - Regina as friendship and family.
1. Chapter 1

**Regina managed to bring everyone into another world, taking victory with her curse, but Rumpelstiltskin didn't let her get away with it. She lost her memory, too.  
**

* * *

Regina Mills opened her eyes and let out a sigh that seemed to have endured. It was weird because she wasn't stressed, and that day would be like any other day. She would have to go to the city hall, do her job and go back to her lonely house. Yes, like every day.

But for some reason, she felt that something different would happen that day. Removing the thought of her mind, Regina got up from her bed and prepared to take to the streets. She got into her car and headed to Granny's, where the seat where she was sitting as usual; was empty.

With a small smile, the mayor sat in her seat and waited for Granny approached her with a small smile. "My breakfast, please." Granny nodded slightly and turned to the insides of the kitchen to prepare her usual breakfast.

She clasped her hands on the table and looked around, seeing all the people she ever saw. Marco, sitting at a table, alone. At another table was Leroy, the town drunk. And some people she didn't know by name, but every day of her life could always see them there. Maybe it was a strange thing that happened always, but she didn't mind at all. She had a good and peaceful life.

"Here it is." Granny put her breakfast in front of her, and Regina smiled at her food. The older woman walked away leaving the mayor with her breakfast. And in that moment, the door opened, and Regina turned knowing who she would find.

"Good morning, Madam Mayor." Sheriff Graham approached her with a smile on his lips. Regina smiled back, and nodded slightly leaving the sheriff sit beside her.

"Good morning, sheriff." She grinned at the man. She believed that all the people already knew of her affair with him, she really didn't care. But she didn't want to make public that although everyone knew.

"You want me to come to your house at night?" He whispered to her, as usual. She smiled, and when she opened her mouth to respond, something happened never happened.

"You heard the news?" Ruby was involved in their conversation. Regina turned to look at the waitress, and Granny's troubled granddaughter. She didn't seem to be speaking to her, but rather to Graham.

"Something's wrong?" Graham asked as confused as Regina. She didn't say a word, but she was willing to know about this woman spoke.

"It's about Mary Margaret Blanchard. You know her, right?"

Regina quickly memorized Mary Margaret's face. She was the fourth-grade teacher, and who always seemed to be terrified of her. And Regina didn't know why, but she loved it. She had never spoken to the woman before, but she couldn't bear to see her. She hated that woman, having no idea why.

"Of course." Graham responded taking Regina back to reality to continue listening. "What about her?"

"When she was leaving home... she found a baby on her doorstep." Regina furrowed her brow totally confused and surprised at this news. That was something she didn't expect at all. "I don't know how, but now that baby is her child."

"What?" Regina snapped annoying. She had always wanted to have children, and now the woman she hated had a child out of nowhere?

Ruby looked at her for a few seconds before returning her gaze to Graham. "The baby was in a basket, wrapped in a blanket. There were papers, too. Adoption papers were saying specifically that Mary Margaret from now on would have to be its new mother."

"And what about a father?" Regina asked in confusion. This time, Ruby looked at the mayor and decided to answer her question, looking at her eyes.

"It says nothing about a father. Just her."

"But – but she can't. She's just a fourth grade teacher." Regina snapped now feeling great anger. That was not fair. She was mayor, and she was a fourth grade teacher. Why she could have a child?

"She's a mother now, too." Ruby said almost proudly. Regina pursed her lips, not knowing what to say, because actually, that was true. Mary Margaret was now going to be a mother.

"See you later, sheriff." The mayor said leaving money beside her breakfast plate and rising from her seat to disappear quickly from the sight of Graham and Ruby.

* * *

Regina held onto her wheel, her eyes fixed forward. She had to go to Mary Margaret's house and see with her own eyes what everyone said. When she went to Granny's, she could hear several people muttering about Mary Margaret's new baby. And Regina could feel her anger rising higher.

She never thought about having children. She never thought about what would be have her own child, but... but she always knew that that could be a good thing. She could have someone who teaches things, and sure enough, she could raise someone. Someone would be hers. But Regina didn't remember ever having planned to have children. She was once in love, and this man was everything in her life... but one day he left. He died, and with him all hopes of having a family. That was why she didn't want to publish what she had with Graham. That was just an adventure, it wasn't love. It wasn't true love... and never would be.

Her black car parked in front of what should be Mary Margaret's house. She had never been there, but for some reason Regina knew that this was her home. Quickly, she left her car and went to the department, seeing that she had to climb the stairs before reaching the third department. It was strange she knew the addresses of Mary Margaret's house, because she never spoke to the woman or something like that. But maybe that was because it was a small town.

Arriving at the door of the apartment that had the number 3 written on it, Regina stood in place to hear a crying baby. Somewhat uncomfortable, Regina began to doubt whether she should knock on the door and see with her own eyes the baby, or if she should leave. But her instinct acted quickly, and she was banging on the door.

"I'm coming!" Mary Margaret shouted from the other side as Regina placed her hands in the pockets of her jacket. After seconds, the door opened and Regina could see Mary Margaret Blanchard with her blue coat and white hat, but holding a lump under a blanket. "Oh, Madam Mayor..." She stammered, totally shocked that she was seeing the mayor at the door of her house.

"So... it's true." Regina said little surprised, with her eyes fixed on the bulge in Mary Margaret's arms. The short-haired woman lowered her gaze to the baby in her arms, and nodded slightly. "I heard the news and... I wanted to see it for myself."

"It's – it's okay." Mary Margaret whispered, not sure what to do or say. The baby continued to cry, and the weather was getting tenser. "Wanna came in?"

Regina raised her eyes to find her green eyes, decided to reject the proposal, but the baby's cry was echoing in her ears, and she was more curious about it. "Thanks." She said before entering the small apartment, leaving the woman closed the door behind her.

The apartment was small, it was nothing compared to her big house. She had a small kitchen, a table in the center of the room, and curtains that had appeared on the other side have a bed. But there was a stairway leading to another room, surely.

Regina turned to speak to Mary Margaret as a microwave beeped. "Oh, I'm sorry." Mary Margaret said almost running into the microwave to open it and take a bottle from there. She walked to her table and sat down in a chair, fixing her gaze on the baby in her arms. "Here you go baby." She brought the bottle to baby's mouth, and the baby quickly – and almost desperately – took the bottle with her tiny lips and began to drink it, stopping her crying.

Regina could see Mary Margaret's eyes lost as she looked at the baby in her arms. She furrowed her brow, somewhat confused. She certainly had not spent even an hour with this baby, and she already looked at it like it was the most precious thing in the world. Regina had to make a little noise with her throat so that the teacher realized that she was still there.

"Oh, sorry." Mary Margaret said quickly. She feinted to stand, but she remembered the baby in her arms and decided to remain seated. "You can sit down."

"Yes..." Regina said almost in a whisper. She went to the table and sat in another chair, folding her hands on the table. "So... how this happened?"

"I – I do not know." Mary Margaret murmured, still a bit confused of what was happening. "I opened the door of my house, and there was this baby... I have her adoption papers. It says that her parents abandoned her in the forest... with nothing more to this blanket."

Regina raised her eyebrows. "Her?" Mary Margaret smiled slightly and looked at the baby for a few seconds before looking at the woman again.

"Yes, it's a girl." She returned her gaze to the baby, noting that she didn't want more milk. Carefully, she removed the bottle from her mouth and put it on the table. "It's a beautiful baby girl."

Regina furrowed her brow, watching as Mary Margaret placed the small bundle on her shoulder and began to take small bumps on her back. "You're going to keep her?"

"Of course." Both women were surprised with the speed and security that Mary Margaret answered. "I mean, on those papers says that I'm now her new mom. And she's so..." She returned her gaze to the baby as she gently placed her in her arms again. "She's _so_... perfect."

Regina wrinkled her nose in disgust, seeing the love with that Mary Margaret looked that baby. She wanted to know about the sudden love. And quickly, Regina got up from her chair and walked over to the other woman.

"Can I hold her?"

Mary Margaret looked at Regina totally uncertain and terrified that this woman could hold the baby. She never knew why, but she was afraid of this woman. Maybe it was her power in the people, or the cold look she gave her whenever both women getting bump into each other. But there was something else... there was something inside her that said she shouldn't let this woman holds her baby girl.

"It's just a few seconds. I just want to know how it feels." Regina said more softly to see the hesitation in her.

And something touched Mary Margaret's heart. She knew what was that feeling to never hold a baby. She had always wanted children, but she never got them. She never had a true love, or any man who truly loved her. And she was a teacher, she taught to children... but she had always wanted to have her own child. She could understand Regina.

"O – okay."

Mary Margaret stood on her feet, holding the baby carefully. Both women approached at each other and Mary Margaret with total finesse left the newborn in Regina's arms. Regina with some awkwardness placed with more accurately the baby in her arms, and looked down to see her tiny face. She had to remove some of the blanket of her face. The baby girl yawned slightly as her tiny hands began to look for something to hold on.

Regina smiled watching the little life in her arms. Mary Margaret never saw that smile on the mayor. She remembered seeing her smile sometimes to Graham, or in speeches... but never like this. She was smiling for real.

Carefully Regina started holding the baby in one arm, while her other hand coming into the baby's body. Soon the baby's hand got hold on to something; Regina's finger. The mayor smiled broadly as the tears accumulated in her eyes, not knowing exactly why. Maybe because that was something beautiful and she was holding a beautiful, precious baby girl. And this baby girl seemed as she liked her.

"What – what's her name?" Regina turned her gaze to Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret smiled crookedly, and looked at her new baby girl.

"Emma." And then she turned her gaze to the mayor. "Her name is Emma."

"Emma." Regina murmured turning her gaze to baby Emma in her arms. "What a lovely name."

Regina smiled once more to the baby. She had opened her eyes, and she was staring at her. This baby had beautiful green eyes. They were full of innocence, sweetness, purity, and... and something she didn't believe she could feel again. Since she lost the person she loved most, she didn't believe she could love anyone, ever. But here was this baby girl... full of love. True love, perhaps. How could call such love could feel someone just by looking at someone's eyes? Yes... it was that.

She couldn't help thinking that Mary Margaret was right. She was _so_ perfect. And maybe she wasn't her child, but Regina promised herself that she would be part of this child's life. And she was right, too. Something different would happen on that day.

Emma came into their lives and with her; the days would always have something different. Nothing would be the same anymore.

* * *

**Regina can't remember all the hatred she had for Snow White... and baby Emma came into her life. ****And what if Regina and Mary Margaret must maintain a good relationship for Emma's sake? W**hat will happen when the Evil Queen or Snow White recover their memories? 

**I hope you liked it, if you see bad grammar, I'm sorry! You can recommend me any Beta, I never be lucky in that. Just let me know if you want me to continue with this. Thanks for reading, and please, R&R?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A lot of fluff of Emma/MM, Emma/Regina and perhaps a bit of Regina/Mary Margaret. Hope you liked it! :)**

* * *

Mary Margaret laid her child in the seat of babies that Regina had bought for Emma a few days ago. Emma of course, was delighted with her new and strange object. She always hit on the small table with joy, waiting that for her Mama would take her food. The teacher sat in a chair in front of her daughter and took the plate with a small spoon.

"Here's your food, sweetheart. Can you open your mouth for Mama?" She approached the spoon into Emma's mouth and gently made the baby eat her porridge. Baby Emma savored her food with a smile as her mother cleaned the edges of her mouth. "That's yummy, isn't it?" Emma giggled causing a smile in Mary Margaret's face. "Yeah, of course it is." She continued feeding her baby girl.

Mary Margaret couldn't believe how quickly the time had passed. It seemed yesterday that this beautiful baby was smaller than her was now, when she had appeared in her life. Now her beautiful baby girl was nine months, and grew ever faster to everyone's surprise. She really seemed a doll with her blond hair and her beautiful green eyes, adding her cheeks always roses. And she had quickly won the affection of the whole town. Regina, inclusive.

Since the mayor visited her home the day that Emma appeared, she had not been long separated from the baby. She was always at her house to see Emma, even bought her toys, clothes, and baby items. Mary Margaret always insisted that there was no need too many things for her baby, but Regina never paid attention. And honestly, the affection was mutual. Emma always smiled and was totally friendly – with her nine months – with everyone, but Regina was something special. She loved to see Regina, as Regina loved seeing her.

Mary Margaret placed Emma's small plate on the table and lifted her daughter out of the chair, placing her on her waist. "Now let's get the dress Mama bought for you, and then we'll go see Regina, how does that sound?" Emma formed a big smile on her little face, and Mary Margaret couldn't help kiss her cheek. "My beautiful girl." She said as she headed to her room.

Undoubtedly, the fourth grade teacher never thought she could be so happy. Since Emma had appeared in her life, all her days were bright, without exception. Never mind the nights she would be awake when her baby was smaller and couldn't sleep, or Emma's tantrums, and even she had taken leave school for a year because of her. She loved the children of her class, but she loved her baby girl more.

Emma managed to produce a happiness in her that nobody could ever do. Everything always worth it if Emma was smiling, or laughing, or just looked at her beautiful green eyes full of innocence. That baby had become her whole world, and Mary Margaret couldn't think in a life without her.

"You're such a good girl!" Emma giggled as Mary Margaret stood her on the bed to see her dress. The baby was wearing a beautiful white dress but with many small flowers violent. In her tiny feet she wore white shoes, and a white cap covered her head. "Come on, we know how the mayor gets when someone is late." She took her baby in her arms and walked to the central room, grabbing her purse on the road and taking with one of her hands Emma's stroller. "Now just stay still, okay?"

Mary Margaret made the routine she always did. She left her apartment and while holding Emma in one arm, she took her stroller and gently down the stairs. It was slow because Mary Margaret was afraid she might drop her baby girl; she was never afraid, until she bought the stroller and Regina began to warn her to always be careful to not let the child fall.

She admitted that she was somewhat paranoid, but maybe Regina beat her on some things. Maybe it was because she was accustomed to command, and she wanted to command in all matter of Emma's life, and Mary Margaret always let her because she was friendly with them, especially with Emma... but there were some things she couldn't pass up. She would sometimes make Regina connecting on earth with some things related to Emma.

But she understood. Mary Margaret was sure Regina loved Emma as much as she loved her. Although perhaps it was so, because she thought that no one could love Emma as she did. It was strange, she had bought books about babies... and in all the books talked about the strong connection that the mother and their children shared; a strong connection she felt she had with Emma. So Mary Margaret always knew that although she was not Emma's birth mother, she was always going to be her mother, no matter what.

* * *

Regina looked at the clock on the wall, sitting on a table at Granny's. She sighed a little impatiently, knowing that Mary Margaret was delayed. But maybe there was a reason. Maybe something had happened with Emma... she could have a fever, or be with any flu. Babies could have colds at Emma's age, she had read. But she shook her head, knowing that if that would be happening, Mary Margaret should have told her.

It was strange the relationship that the fourth-grade teacher and she shared now because of Emma. They shared everything it had to do with the baby. They were not best friends, but they were a kind of friendly, if one could say so. Regina could remember Mary Margaret's exciting call at 6am to almost one month ago, when Emma started to crawl. Regina had not hesitated to hang up with Mary Margaret and head to her house to see it with her own eyes. And inevitably, she had seen it. When she came in, she had to lower her eyes to see something crawling towards her. Her baby Emma.

Well, Emma was not hers... Mary Margaret was her mother, but Regina couldn't help feeling that baby as her own, too. The best part of the day was always when she spent time with Emma, and Regina knew it would always be so. That baby had become a very important part in her life, to not say her entire life.

The sound of the door bell rang, and Regina lifted her gaze to see Mary Margaret came in with Emma in her stroller. As always, Regina smiled broadly to see baby Emma looked at her and smile as she began to clap with joy.

"Hi, sorry for the delay..." Mary Margaret said approaching her, leaving the stroller next to their table and sitting in front of the mayor. "There were some complications with her bath."

"Really? You didn't want a bath?" Regina said, looking at Emma and getting her out from the stroller to take her in her arms. "You're getting a baby rebel?" She kissed Emma's cheeks causing the baby laugh.

"You know, last night I called Dr. Whale and I made an appointment with the pediatrician next week." Regina quickly looked at her with concern, sitting baby Emma in her lap. "I don't know, maybe it's her teeth, but she's not eating well... and she was kind of upset yesterday when I gave her dinner."

"It could be her teeth?" Regina looked at Emma with concern and stroked her soft face. "But if it's something else?"

"I don't think so. She wasn't feverish or anything. She has been upset every time I feed her."

Regina looked for a few seconds to Emma, looking for any sign of discomfort in her. But the baby was fully concentrated with her necklace of the tree of life. The mayor quickly blinked and lifted her gaze to Mary Margaret. "How long she's upset when she eats?"

"Ohm, three days." Mary Margaret whispered knowing what Regina was going to say then.

"Three days?" The mayor said indignantly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it was important, Regina." She sighed. "I'm pretty sure it's her teeth that are beginning to emerge."

Regina sighed a little uncomfortable and turned her gaze to the baby in her lap. "I hope so. I want to go with you to the consultation with her pediatrician."

The younger woman shrugged. "No problems."

"Of course not." And she turned her gaze to Emma as she began to make funny faces at the baby, causing her laughter.

Mary Margaret looked to the side, watching as nobody looked surprised and curiously at them. Emma's first months when she and Regina gathered there, almost the whole place turned to look at them and see every move they made. Surely they were totally surprised that the mayor was so friendly with someone... but Emma was Emma, and everyone knew that Emma could get the _better_ of anyone. Thankfully, with the passage of time, Regina and Mary Margaret could be found in Granny's to chat about Emma and to the mayor could see her, without anyone watching everything they were doing. When Emma turned three months, everyone knew she was Regina's weakness, and she became a completely different person around the baby. Fortunately for everyone, in a good way. But when someone approached her when she was with Emma, she was protective and somewhat selfish, wanting to Emma to herself. Most of the time, Mary Margaret had to take Emma to let Ruby or Granny could take her, too. She always did that despite Regina's complaints.

"Hello Madam Mayor..." Mr. Gold's voice was heard, and Regina lifted her gaze to see him standing in front of Emma's stroller, as always in a suit and with his cane. "Miss Blanchard..." He nodded slightly to Mary Margaret.

"Good morning, Mr. Gold." Mary Margaret greeted politely, returning her gaze significantly to Regina. Regina nodded slightly and Mary Margaret stood, approaching her. "I'll take her to Ruby and Granny to see her." Emma began to stretch her arms to her mother with joy. "Yeah, came with Mama." She took her baby in her arms and then looked at Regina for the last time; she went to the bar where Ruby and Granny were.

If there was something that both of them agreed was that they didn't want to Emma to be near Mr. Gold. He was always strange, and he never was interested in anyone except Emma. But there wasn't an interest like everyone else, it was strange. As if Emma was something important to him. Not someone, _something_. And neither Mary Margaret nor Regina liked that, and both of them became quite protective with the baby when he approached them.

"She's a beautiful baby, isn't she?" Gold said with his eyes fixed on Mary Margaret and Emma. Regina rolled her eyes but didn't change her cold stare at him. All the people feared him, but for some reason, she didn't. She just always had a great anger towards him.

"Yes. Can I know if you need something, Mr. Gold?" She asked, narrowing her eyes, trying to decipher Mr. Gold's intentions. But as always as she tried, she never got it.

"Oh, no, not at all. I just came to say hello and see baby Emma." And he turned his gaze to Emma, who was now in Ruby's arms. "She grows so fast..."

"Yes, she does." Regina said simply. Gold smiled crookedly at Regina's cold words and turned his gaze to her.

"Well, I hope you have a good day Madam Mayor."

"Thank you. You too." Mr. Gold nodded slightly and turned to walk slowly toward the exit, as always. And in seconds, Mary Margaret was beside her, with Emma placed on her waist.

"What he wanted?"

"Nothing." Regina got up taking her wallet. "But I must go. I'll see her at night, right?"

"Yeah, of course." She said quickly; every day Regina saw Emma in the mornings before going at her job and then at night, when she was returning from her job.

"Well, see you later." And she turned her attention to Emma, leaving a small kiss on her cheek. "See you later, sweetheart." She gently stroked Emma's cheek before walking away from them.

* * *

Mary Margaret yawned stretching her arms gently; Emma was asleep beside her. It was the afternoon, and as every afternoon, Emma took her nap, and some days, Mary Margaret could fall asleep with her in her bed. She sat on her bed rubbing her eyes, letting out another yawn. She opened her eyes and looked at the clock that was on her nightstand. It was nearly 5:00 p.m. The brunette was surprised to see that she had slept about two hours, and so Emma did. And it was something completely strange.

"Emma..." She turned to wake the baby, but her eyes widened when she saw that Emma was not lying beside her as she had left her when she fell asleep. "Oh my god."

Mary Margaret jumped out of bed and in a desperate attempt, she ran to her crib. Emma wasn't there either and that caused the tears in her eyes quickly grouped. She put her hand to her mouth thinking the worst. Someone should have come and had taken her, and she had not even noticed.

But then a knock was heard from the kitchen, and then Emma's crying. "Emma!" Mary Margaret ran to the kitchen to see her baby girl sitting with a chair shot to her side. "Oh Emma..." Mary Margaret breathed quiet taking the baby, quickly checking that she wasn't hurt. "How did you do to get here?" And then she remembered quickly that Emma had learned how to lower her bed a week ago, and start crawling everywhere. In the desperation she had seconds before she didn't think about that at all. "Oh sweetie..." She ducked her head slightly and leaned her forehead with Emma's forehead. "You made Mama died of fright."

Emma's face quickly relaxed as she giggled. "Mama!"

"Yes, don't ever do that to me again and..." It took a few seconds before she realized that she had not said that word. Emma had spoken. "E – Emma?" She stammered her face away from her baby's face to look at her better, feeling the tears fall from her eyes. "You... you said Mama?"

"Mama!" Emma repeated with a smile and with joy, putting her little hands on her mother's cheeks. Mary Margaret smiled widely, and then laughing with joy.

"Yes... I'm _your_ Mama." And she took Emma to her chest to hold her gently, feeling Emma's little head resting on it.

She always thought that she was Emma's mother, but hearing that Emma looked at her, and called her Mama... it was too much. Emma saw her as her Mama, and that was all that mattered. She _really_ was Emma's Mama.

"Oh my girl, that's it... you did it!" Mary Margaret moved Emma away from her body and kissed her forehead hard. "You said Mama!"

"Mama..." Emma said again with a smile, and stretching her arms to came back at her Mama's warmth. Mary Margaret approached Emma at her as she snuggled into her chest and the brunette rested her chin on her little head.

"Oh, oh, Regina has to know this!" She walked quickly into the table to pick up the phone and start dialing numbers.

"Gina!" Emma shouted moving away from her mother's chest and lifting her head to look at her eyes. Mary Margaret down the phone and looked at her daughter, totally stunned that she had managed to say a two words already.

"You – yes! Regina!" Mary Margaret exclaimed happily.

"Gina!" Emma said again with joy and clapping slightly. Mary Margaret laughed and punched the numbers again quickly.

"Hello?" Regina's voice was heard on the other side. Mary Margaret looked at Emma with a smile and with tears still in her eyes.

"Regina? Emma spoke!" Mary Margaret said quickly totally excited. But eventually, it took seconds before Regina could react.

"What?"

"She said Mama, and then... you... just listen to this." She put the phone near Emma's mouth, trying to ignore Emma's movements in order to grab it. "Regina..." Mary Margaret whispered, not wanting to Regina could hear her voice.

"Gina!" Emma cried again with enthusiasm. Mary Margaret quickly put the phone to her ear again.

"You heard her?" She said with a big smile. She began to wait for Regina's response, but after seconds of silence, Mary Margaret decided to talk. "Regina? Are you there?"

"Yes..." Mary Margaret could hear her voice congestion. Clearly, she couldn't help getting excited, too. "I'm on my way."

Regina hung up and got up from her seat, keeping her cell phone in her wallet. She started walking towards the exit of her office as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. It had been totally... beautiful. Yes, Emma had spoken, and she had been her _second_ word to say.

No one had ever called her _Gina_, but Regina began to believe that that word might be one of her favorites from now on.

* * *

**Hey, I hope you liked this chapter! Thank you very much for the reviews! Glad you liked the story.**

**So, here's this chapter, and sorry if there's grammatical errors! I would like to see what you all think about this and what you would like to happen? Ideas are always welcome! Please, R&R? Thank you very much for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**In this chapter a lot of fluff of Regina/Emma, and of course Emma/MM as a little of Regina/MM :) **

**Oh, and I would like to put in the order of Snow/Regina/Emma, but I can't, I don't know why, so I left it so. Don't know, just want to say it. (:**

* * *

Regina sighed for the third time in five minutes; it was obvious that Mary Margaret wasn't willing to think clearly about her words. Emma was about to turn a year old, but she couldn't walk yet, and she had read in books that sometimes babies can take in walking, but Mary Margaret seemed not to hear her answers. She was convinced there was something wrong with Emma's legs.

"I'm going to ask for another consultation with her pediatrician. This is not possible Regina! She'll be a year old next week, and she still has not walked!" Mary Margaret snapped indignantly, as Regina had been hearing the last five minutes. "It's worrying me a lot."

"I can see that." Regina said rolling her eyes, earning a sharp look from Mary Margaret. The younger woman turned to Emma and took her, pulling her out of her little chair and placing her on her waist.

"Hey baby, you ready to walk?" Mary Margaret smiled sweetly to her daughter, but Emma just looked at her with confusion.

"I think she will walk when she wants." Regina said again, but Mary Margaret shook her head quickly.

"But it's better sooner than later." She knelt on the floor and Emma placed in front of her, stopping her on her feet and slowly starting to drop her daughter's grip. "Come on, Emma. I know you can do it." She let go Emma's tiny arms, but immediately the child fell sitting on her button, letting out a sob.

Regina got up from her seat quickly. "Look what you did!" She almost yelled at Mary Margaret, rushing to grab Emma before she could do so. "She can't stand on her own Mary Margaret, she will walk when she can."

"Yes!" Mary Margaret said with some frustration getting up. "You said it yourself, when she can. What if there is a problem and that's why she can't? You never know!"

"I think you're very paranoid." Regina started walking around Mary Margaret's living room, with Emma in her waist and her little head resting below her shoulder. "It's not your Mama paranoid, Emma?"

"Don't say that to her, Regina." Mary Margaret said moving toward her kitchen. Regina rolled her eyes and sat back down on the table, sitting Emma on the table in front of her.

"Why don't you want to walk, baby girl?" Regina asked Emma with her brow something furrowed. Emma furrowed her brow as well, but then chuckled.

"Gina..." Emma stretched her little arms to Regina, seeking for her comfort again. Regina couldn't help kissing her smooth forehead and sit her on her lap, with a big smile.

"Oh my god, where's her milk?" The school teacher cried watching her open refrigerator. She closed the door sighing and headed to her rack, starting to get a coat and taking her purse. "I have to go buy food and..."

"I'll stay here with her." The mayor said quickly. "It's too cold outside for her."

"I know, I was about to say that." She placed a scarf around her neck and walked towards her baby girl. "Be good, sweetie. Mama will be here soon."

"Mama!" Emma stretched her little arms to her as her green eyes filled with tears. But Regina grabbed the child to her.

"You better go now." Regina said knowing that it wasn't long that Emma broke into tears because her Mama.

"Love you." She placed a kiss on Emma's little head before quickly getting out from her home.

"Mama!" Emma shouted, breaking into tears. Regina got up and placed the baby in her waist and began to walk around the place to reassure her.

"She'll be here soon, sweetheart." Regina kissed her forehead, but Emma continued her crying and calling her Mama. It was almost the same as happened when she had to go. "Tell you what, why don't we go see yours new toys?" She went to Mary Margaret's room, sitting on the bed and leaving Emma sat beside her as she began looking for Emma's new stuffed animals.

Regina placed stuffed animals around Emma, and Emma quickly took her favorite teddy. A swan. "Swan."

"Hey, you're a smart baby, don't you?" Regina stroked her little nose with a smile. "You're right, that's a swan."

Emma began to entertain with her stuffed animals, so Regina began inspecting with her gaze Mary Margaret's room. She had often been in her house, but she never had the opportunity to be there alone, or in her room to see everything carefully. Emma's crib was right next to Mary Margaret's bed, but behind the crib, there was a table that seemed to be knitting things, and other things like paper and pens.

Turning her gaze to the other side where Mary Margaret and Emma's dresser was, she saw many photographs placed on it. She got up without before verify that Emma was still in place, and went to the dresser to see better framed photographs. The first she took was about Emma lying on her cradle, totally asleep. For her small size, Regina took that picture should be of Emma's early days, or her first week. She smiled, remembering when the baby was so small and she feared almost always let her down every time she grabbed her.

"Gina!" Emma squealed behind her, causing Regina to turn around quickly to check on her. Emma smiled broadly to capture her attention, but then turned her attention at her stuffed animals. "Swan, swan, swan."

Regina laughed lightly at that word from Emma. Indeed, this had been her third word to say. With a small smile, the mayor turned to the photographs again, leaving that she was holding it in its place. This time however, she grabbed a photograph of Mary Margaret was perhaps, with Emma who was six months. And the picture was very cute, she should say. Both of them had come out smiling.

The mayor couldn't help in think how close she had done with the schoolteacher who she hated before. Yes, she could remember when she hated Mary Margaret, but that was in the past. They weren't best friends, but they were... she couldn't tell what they were, because there were times it had certainly uncomfortable silences between them, but nothing that couldn't be solved by removing some topic to talk about Emma, or about the town.

And Regina knew there had been a change for her, to Mary Margaret as well. Of course, taking the theme that Emma was in their lives and everything had changed from there. But Mary Margaret was no longer afraid of her, not as much as before Emma came along, if she didn't remember wrong, nor as to Emma's first weeks of life... with the passage of time, both of them started to get along... at first for Emma's sake. Regina didn't want to Mary Margaret could take the decision that she wouldn't be part of Emma's life, so she tried to be as kind as she could with the schoolteacher. But when the months began to pass, Regina thought she might start to like Mary Margaret's personality, although she almost forced herself to do it.

And now that Emma was going to be a year old, everything was normal. Maybe they were friends, some strangers, but friends nonetheless. But they weren't the kind of friends to tell each other everything, except what it had to do about the toddler. But maybe that was because there was nothing more interesting in their lives than Emma.

Recalling that she was alone with Emma, she left the photo in its place and turned around, but she froze when she saw that Emma wasn't in the bed. Despair seized her quickly, but she began trying to calm down. Mary Margaret had told her that Emma did that to her many times.

"Emma? Sweetheart? Where are you?" She began to walk around the room, looking into every corner to find the toddler, but Emma didn't appear anywhere. "Emma?" Regina could feel her body beginning to tremble not see her anywhere.

She walked into the kitchen, but the toddler wasn't there. Suddenly, Regina heard a giggle, Emma's giggle. Letting out a sigh of relief, Regina walked into the living room, watching Emma sitting in the middle.

"There you are. You like to play hide and seek, right?" Emma laughed again, but she looked down to Regina at the floor, and Regina followed her gaze. Near her was Emma's stuffed swan.

"Swan!" Emma shouted desperate as Mary Margaret opened the door and went home with a bag in her hand.

"I'm back!" But toddler Emma didn't seem to hear her, her green look was fixed on her stuffed swan.

"Swan!" Emma said again, this time, starting to stand on her feet. Mary Margaret groaned in surprise as she closed the door behind her, watching her baby girl standing on her feet for the first time. She couldn't help looking at Regina still in shock.

"Don't move." It was all Regina managed to say, knowing that Mary Margaret would be able to run to take Emma and fill her with kisses because she had managed to stand on her feet. "Let's see what she will do."

The two women remained in their places, frozen. Emma finished her stand on feet as beginning to open her arms for balance and fear of falling, but she seemed determined because her gaze was still in her teddy. And that's when it happened. Emma furrowed her brow and walked a step.

"Oh..." Regina heard Mary Margaret, who dropped the bag from her hand. For their lucky, Emma didn't hear the noise and took another step. "She's doing it… she's doing it." Mary Margaret began to whisper as tears were in her eyes. But Regina couldn't say anything about that; she had the same tears in her eyes. They were watching Emma's first steps.

"Swan..." Emma stammered taking another step and another, until finally she reached her stuffed swan, sitting beside it and holding it to hug it tightly. And then, she raised her eyes and looked at Regina, then looked at Mary Margaret. "Mama!"

"You did it!" Mary Margaret now shouted running towards her baby girl and lifting her in her arms, hugging her tightly and filling her face with kisses, as Regina had thought. "I knew you were going to do it, I knew it!"

Regina smiled taking her hand made a fist into her eyes to dry the tears that threatened to come out of her eyes. "I told you she was going to do when she wants."

Mary Margaret grinned and kissed her daughter again before approaching Regina to give her, knowing that the mayor was so excite as well. "I can't believe I came just in time!"

"You did very well, didn't you?" Regina said to Emma before kissing her forehead and holds her against her chest. Emma turned away from Regina and clutched at her stuffed swan, with her brow something furrowed at so lovingly.

"My swan!" And that it could only produce laughter in her _Mama_ and her _Gina_.

* * *

It was almost the night; Regina was leaving soon, but Mary Margaret had told her she could make Emma sleep. They had already eaten, still fascinated that Emma had begun to walk. But the next day Regina had to work, so as soon as dinner ended Mary Margaret cleaned the dishes, she tried to make Emma sleep.

"Mary Margaret?" Regina approached her with Emma in her arms, asleep. Mary Margaret looked to the side, but without stopping to clean the dishes. "I was thinking about one thing, and I think it's time."

"About what?"

"I think you should go back to school to teach. I mean, you took maternity leave... but I think it's time you come back." The mayor said quietly, but Mary Margaret couldn't help but raise her voice.

"What?!" Emma moved asleep in Regina's arms, so Mary Margaret sighed trying to calm. "I can't do that; Emma will not be in kindergarten until she's three years."

"And you're not going to work for three years?" Regina raised her eyebrows slightly; trying to Mary Margaret would capture her idea.

"Well, I don't know..."

"Look, I'm the mayor. You can return to your work, and I can take care of Emma while you're in school."

Mary Margaret sighed again and took a towel to dry her hands and turned around. "You're the mayor, Regina. How will you be able to take a license?"

"I didn't say I would. I can take her with me to my work, and take care of her there." Mary Margaret quickly furrowed her brow.

"Again, you're the mayor. You have meetings, and important things to do."

"The important things I can make with her, and meetings... not last more than an hour, or half hour... someone could take care of her in that minimum time."

"I don't know..." The brunette leaned on the counter and stared at her sleeping baby girl. "She's so small."

"But you need to work. I would love to spend more time with Emma, and you could work, and then pick her up when you go out there."

"Are you sure?" Mary Margaret asked a little scared at the thought of being separated from her daughter.

"Yes, and plus, it's been a year. You can't have maternity leave forever..."

"Yes but... I don't want to be separated from her." She gently touched Emma's little head, stroking her forehead with her finger.

"I'll take care of her. You know I will."

"I know, no doubt about that but ..." She sighed again trying to find another solution, but she knew that Regina was right. She couldn't take maternity leave until Emma had her three years and she couldn't afford to lose her job. "Okay."

"Okay?" Regina's eyes quickly lit up. "Yes?" She asked again.

"Yes, until Emma's second birthday. And then we can see if someone else can take care of her. She can't be with you in your office until she has three..."

"Yes, I know. It should be someone but of real confidence."

"Of course…"

"Good..." She smiled lowering her gaze to Emma. "I'm going to put her down."

"Okay..." Mary Margaret whispered, starting to put away the dishes in its place.

Regina went to Mary Margaret's room, and into Emma's crib. She lay down Emma on it slightly and covered her little body by sheets. With a smile, she pressed a kiss on her head, and then walk away to see the child for minutes.

She could spend more time with her had… it not been a trap that excuse to Mary Margaret let Emma spend more time with her, it was true that she couldn't take her maternity leave forever, and if someone could take care of Emma instead Mary Margaret, was obviously her. And she was going to enjoy this year until Emma's second birthday.

Mary Margaret finished putting the dishes in its place and observed to her room, where Regina was standing next to Emma's crib, facing it, probably looking at Emma sleeping. She couldn't say anything; she had done that many times. And now she would have to be separated from her baby girl for hours... five hours in which she would be thinking that Emma could be doing, if she could get hurt or something like that. She knew she had become somewhat paranoid, but Mary Margaret also knew that Regina was going to take care of her very well. If she had to choose someone to take care of Emma if she couldn't, certainly it always going to be Regina Mills.

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**Thank you very much for your reviews! All of you! I'm so glad you like this idea, and I hope you continue enjoying it!**

**Again, sorry for grammatical errors if they are there, English is not my first language, I'm trying my best. (:**

**And I really hope you liked this chapter about Emma's first steps... could you tell me what you think? What you think about Regina/Mary Margaret's friendship? What would you like to happen in the future with Emma/MM, Emma/Regina, Regina/MM? :) I'm happy reading your ideas and your reviews! Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I couldn't avoid having to do a chapter about Emma in Regina's office, so.. Regina/Emma fluff, but with Emma/MM, Mary Margaret/Regina too :)**

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To Regina seemed yesterday that Emma had given her first steps, on the same day that she and Mary Margaret agreed that Emma would stay with her in the mayoralty while Mary Margaret was in school. Well, at least until Emma was two. And that would be no less than a month, so Regina increasingly enjoyed the time with the girl, and although she didn't want that day came, she knew she would have to come.

And since Emma was with her in the mayoralty, the toddler always had her days. There were days that Emma was very quiet; she just stayed in her small playground, enclosed in a circle. There was days that Emma wanted get out of the circle at all costs and Regina let her walk in the room as she always kept an eye on her. But then, there were days when Emma was just... a tornado. And that day was one of them.

"Emma!" Regina shouted running after Emma, who couldn't stop laughing. But Emma to her heard her scream froze, and turned to look at Regina, even with papers in her tiny hand. Regina had left the papers in her desk, and when she had gone to lift what Emma had thrown off the couch, the toddler took the papers and starting to run around the room. And Regina started trying to grab her. "I mean it, Emma. Give me those papers." And she walked slowly toward the toddler with her hand outstretched.

But Emma laughed again and turned around to continue running. Regina sighed rolling her eyes and began to walk quickly after the girl, and incredibly, Emma was very fast.

"No Gina, no papers!" Emma shouted, running as fast as her stubby legs would allow her.

"Emma, come here. I need that!" Emma giggled as she looked back to see Regina and keep running, but unfortunately, she didn't see her toy in front of her, causing her to stumble and fall quickly to the ground, hitting her head hard. "Emma!" Regina screamed running towards the child. She sat beside her and took Emma in her arms, watching her little face. "Oh my god."

How a toddler could become similar injury just for falling on the ground? Emma was a little awkward, but she had never done this injury. In her little face was blood, but she seemed to have a little cut. She had already started to sob, but blood began to slide down her face and when she saw it, her tears turning into loud cries.

"Oh my god, oh my god." Regina couldn't think in nothing but Emma was hurt, and what she would say to Mary Margaret. In a jump, Regina got up from the ground and with the toddler in her arms headed to her rack, grabbing her purse and starting to get out of her office. "It's okay Emma; it's going to be okay."

She told her secretary to cancel the meetings were for that day, and her secretary asked no questions – as always – to see Emma hurt and crying. Regina walked to her car and placed Emma in the back seat, in the small chair she had bought for her. Once Emma had her seatbelt, she sat in her driver's seat and started the engine of her car.

"Gina!" Emma squealed and Regina could see in the rearview mirror that she was taking her hand into the wound.

"No, sweetheart! Don't touch the wound, stay quiet. It's nothing." But Emma continued to cry, and Regina already could feel the despair of not being able to do anything to make the girl feel no more pain.

"Mamaaaaa." Emma started calling her Mama, looking around and more tears in her face. Regina sighed slightly, she should call Mary Margaret? Maybe it was nothing... but she was taking Emma to the hospital, and her mother was Mary Margaret. "Gina!" Emma cried causing Regina back to reality. Emma was wounded, and was crying. She should be concerned about Mary Margaret later.

Within seconds Regina was in the hospital with Emma in her arms, who had dropped her crying slightly. The mayor went to the pediatric ward quickly, and Dr. Wells to see her in her arms Emma didn't hesitate to make her into the room. Regina tries to put Emma on the table, but the toddler only clung to her arms and her body.

"No, no, no!" Emma started screaming letting her cry out again. Dr. Wells shook his head slightly.

"It's okay, you can sit." Regina nodded taking a seat on the couch. She sat Emma in her lap and waited for Dr. Wells was ready to meet the girl.

Dr. Wells revised Emma, assuring Regina – and leaving her totally quiet – that Emma's wound was not serious. Her tears were uncontrollable due to shock, not because she was in so much pain. And her wound wasn't as serious as it looked, so he only had to clean the blood and put a bandage there.

"It's better now, isn't it?" Regina said stroking Emma's arm. But Emma only nodded slightly as she held her little body close at Regina's body and her head on her chest. "Good, you gave me a scare."

Dr. Wells smiled slightly, he had heard that the mayor was fully protective of Emma Blanchard, as if she was her second mother, and she had been in some Emma's inquiries, but he had never seen her so scared about the toddler. "It's okay Madam Mayor, you can go now if you want." Regina nodded slightly almost jumping off the couch. "And you Emma, I think you shouldn't run anymore. Alright?"

Emma tried to curl up in Regina's chest more, though that seemed impossible "Yes..." She murmured, somewhat shy.

"Thanks Dr. Wells." Dr. Wells nodded slightly as Regina left the room, pulling out her cell phone from her jacket with her free hand and beginning to dial Mary Margaret's numbers.

* * *

Mary Margaret went to Granny's, knowing that Regina should be somewhere with her baby girl. How she had not called her before? Emma had an injury; she had brought her to the hospital, for God's sake. She should have known before, but now Mary Margaret prayed that it was nothing serious, although Regina had told her that it wasn't, she should see it.

"Mama!" Emma squealed in Regina's arms to see her at the door. Mary Margaret came to the table quickly, and to Regina.

"Oh my god, you're okay?" She took her daughter in her arms as Emma clung to her. Mary Margaret kissed her head slightly and sat in front of Regina, leaving her daughter in her lap to see her little forehead more clearly. There were no traces of blood, but there was a bandage. "Are you better, baby girl?"

Emma formed a small smile and nodded slightly. "No running."

"Of course not." She smiled slightly pressing a light kiss on Emma's bandage. She took her to hugging her body slightly as she lifted her gaze to Regina. "Why didn't you call me before? You took her to the hospital!"

"I know; I didn't know what to do! I just wanted Emma to stop crying, clearly I didn't have time to think in you... and then Dr. Wells revised her and everything was fine,"

"But what if it wasn't?" Mary Margaret couldn't help spitting, with some discomfort. "I'm _her_ mother."

"I know." Regina said clenched teeth, starting to feel slight discomfort. "I know you're her mother."

Mary Margaret sighed slightly and lowered her gaze to Emma again. She had her little head on her chest and the teacher could feel her daughter's breathing be totally quiet. She should have been asleep. "It's okay..." She whispered, stroking Emma's back and returning her gaze to Regina. "I'm sorry, I – I just got scared when you called me."

"And that's because you didn't listen her cry, and didn't see her injury..." Mary Margaret opened her eyes fully alarmed, and Regina knew she shouldn't have said that. "But I just saw everything worse because I panicked."

"Yeah..." Mary Margaret whispered, trying not to think about how her little girl had probably cried.

"You shouldn't have left the classroom... it wasn't a big deal."

But Mary Margaret turned to look at her baby girl and pressing a soft kiss on her head as she continued stroking her back. "Yes, I had to."

"Here you have." Ruby approached them with a tray, and leaving two cups in front of each woman. A cup of coffee and another cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon. "Oh, she fell asleep?" The brunette asked watching at Emma.

"Yes..." Mary Margaret whispered, taking her cup with her free hand.

"I'm glad she's okay." Ruby said before heading to another table. Mary Margaret proved a bit of her drink and lifted her gaze to Regina.

"You asked for me, cocoa with cinnamon?"

Regina shrugged, trying not to make big deal of it. "Yeah, I figured you'd want one." She took some of her coffee.

Mary Margaret slightly widened her smile, thinking that was what these little details that made luckily improve her relationship with Regina. Mary Margaret had no doubt that Regina loved Emma, but that was why she wanted to have a good relationship with the mayor. And at least for her part, she considered Regina as a friend. And with those details that the mayor did for her, Mary Margaret hoped that Regina could have her as a friend, too.

"Well, thank you." The school teacher responded by taking another sip of her cocoa. She placed the cup in front of her and sighed slightly. "Look, I'm sorry for what I said before. I mean... I didn't mean to be rude when I said I was her mother."

"Well..." Regina tried to the sadness in her voice wasn't notice. She had felt something bad about those words. "You are her mother."

"Yes..." But this time Mary Margaret formed another smile, this time something brighter. "But you're her second mother."

"W – what?" Regina wasn't expecting that, at all. She loved Emma, as she were her own child, but she never believed that Mary Margaret could see that and consider her, her second mom.

"Regina, you love her as if she were her child, too. I know it." The mayor couldn't help lowering her gaze to the toddler in Mary Margaret's lap. "You look out for her, you care about her... you're like her second mother, no doubt." She shrugged slightly, trying to don't get all that into something very sentimental to not cause discomfort in Regina. "I thought you knew." She could see a mixture of emotions in Regina's face as she looked at Emma, but Mary Margaret hoped she had not caused much conflict in her.

Regina watched Emma asleep in her mother's lap, and had to smile. Mary Margaret was right. And she was proud that Mary Margaret was right. She loved that child; Emma could get anything from her with just her smile, or put her puppy eyes. And she knew that. And Mary Margaret too... as everyone else. She could be Emma's second mother, and no matter if when Emma grows up she wouldn't consider her that way, she would always be for that little girl.

"Yeah..." And she lifted her gaze to Mary Margaret, forming a small smile. "I guess you're right." Mary Margaret smiled back, and both of them drank another sip of their drink.

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**Hello you all! This chapter is not the longer, but I'll try that the next will be. So, I hope to see your reviews! :)**

**Sorry if there are grammatical errors!**

**I wonder what you think about Regina/Emma? Or what you would like happen here, with Regina/Mary Margaret or Emma with Regina, or MM? :) I love reading your reviews, thank you very much for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

** Here's Mary Margaret - Emma - Regina fluff. :) Hope you like it!**

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Emma looked up, watching her mom talk to Regina. She did not quite understand what they said, but even so she continued her walk holding her Mama's hand. Although, the little one knew something was about to happen. Her Mama had told her about a beautiful place where they would go, which she would love. And Regina had bought her colored pencils and a notebook. And her Mama bought her something she said was a backpack. Emma didn't understand why she needed all those things, because surely they were going to the park as usual.

"Mommy, where are we going?" Emma asked a third time. She saw her mom looking to Regina for a few seconds before returning to her.

"I told you to a beautiful place which you will love."

Emma frowned. "The park?"

"Another place that even you don't know, dear." Regina said. Emma opened her mouth to speak, but she turned her gaze forward as her mom and Regina stopped walking.

"You sure this is not the park?" Emma asked, looking at Regina with a grin. "There are many kids here!" She smiled slightly watching the other children came to a place with their mothers... and fathers.

"Would you like to go with these children?" Mary Margaret looked hopefully at her daughter. She had not told Emma to where she would go, because she knew very well that Emma would make a huge tantrum as they went to the kindergarten. She preferred that her little girl found out when they were already there.

"Yep!" Emma said with enthusiasm and a big smile. "Can I go and play with them?"

"Of course you can, come on; we'll take you with them."

Emma clutched at her Mama's hand as they walked towards the entrance of the site. But the little girl could see that many kids had their mother's clasped hands, but they were also grabbing men's hands. Emma furrowed her brow, and looked at Regina, who walked at her side. With a small smile, Emma raised her free hand and took Regina's hand. She saw Regina look at her and smile, causing Emma extended her smile and go into that place taking her mom's hand and her Gina's hand.

In there were many more children, all of them with their mothers, and also with men. Emma pursed her nose not knowing why there had been so many men, when she had no one. But she smiled, thinking maybe she was special, she had her Mama, and Regina. She didn't need anyone else.

Soon Emma stopped walking when her mom and Regina did. They were standing in front of a door, where there were many children in, playing with each other. Emma grinned and walked toward them, coming in the room. But the little girl quickly reminded her Mama and Regina, and she turned quickly noting that they didn't go after her.

"Why don't you come?" She ran back to them. Her Mama and Regina exchanged looks, and then they knelt down in front of her.

"Look sweetie, mothers can't be here, just kids, and two people who will look after you." Her Mommy said gently, but Emma frowned. "You can go and play with the kids. And you have to pay attention to the adult who will be there."

"But what about you?" Emma quickly asked, looking at her Mama but at Regina as well. Regina sighed slightly and took her hand gently.

"We can't go with you."

To the surprise of Mary Margaret and Regina, Emma just shrugged. "So I don't want to go there."

"Oh, but you have to." Mary Margaret took her daughter's free hand and smiled slightly. "Regina has to work, so I. And you can't come with us, so you're going to be here, with many children, with whom you can play, it will be fun sweetheart."

"No, no..." Emma began to murmur as her green eyes filled with tears, understanding the message. She would have to stay here as her mother and Regina were going. She didn't want that. "I don't want that, I want to go home!"

Mary Margaret felt her heart contract to see the tears start to slide down Emma's cheeks. "Hey, I'm not going to leave you here forever. It's only for a while, and then I'll pick you up."

"No, Mommy, please! Gina!" Emma said in a desperation attempt. But Regina shook her head slightly and sighed.

"Your Mommy is right, Emma. It's just for a while, I promise you then both of us are going to be here."

"No, no, no! I want to go home, now!" And she clutched at her mother, hugging her tightly. Mary Margaret wrapped her girl by her arms, and stood still holding her.

The schoolteacher looked at Regina, and the mayor knew what to do. Both of them entered the room, and Regina quickly made eye contact with the teacher who would be in charge of that room. Miss Smith quickly turned toward them.

"Madam Mayor..." Miss Smith said quickly little nervous but trying to be as nice as possible. But then, she saw Mary Margaret Blanchard, and she felt she could be more relaxed. "Miss Blanchard."

"Hello Miss Smith." Mary Margaret smiled, and rubbed Emma's back. "I want you to meet Miss Smith, sweetheart."

"I want to go home." Emma repeated clinging at her body.

"Emma, don't you want to meet her? You always want to know everyone." Regina tried to encourage the girl, but Emma shook her head without lifting it from her mother's shoulder.

"I want to go home!" Emma repeated more hassle, closing her eyes and waiting for her Mama began to walk and take her to their home.

"Your mother told me much about you, Emma." Miss Smith said, noting that nothing worked in the child. Emma opened her eyes and frowned, deciding to lift her head and turn around to look at the person who had said that. She was like at her Mom and Regina; but she had brown hair and blue eyes. And she seemed to be friendly. "Yeah, you really are Emma, right? You're as beautiful as she told me."

Emma smiled slightly. "You are pretty, too."

"Thank you." The woman smiled, looking back at the children playing among them and then re-look the little girl. "Will not you come and meet the children? I'm sure they will be happy to meet you."

"But my Mommy and Gina can't be here, and I don't want to be here now." Emma whispered with her green eyes still full of tears.

"Well, you can meet the children, and the mayor and your Mommy can be here." Emma opened her eyes wide in surprise.

"Can they?"

"Only until you're feeling better." Emma looked at Regina, who quickly gave her a small smile and assented. She returned her gaze to her Mama, and Mary Margaret smiled widely.

"I would be very happy if you go there and meet the kids,"

"But you're going to be here?" Emma asked, still confused.

Mary Margaret first looked at Miss Smith, who nodded slightly giving her permission. "Yes, just until you can feel better. We can't be here for long."

Emma frowned watching the children playing among them, and then she returned her gaze to Miss Smith. "Okay, I want to go."

Mary Margaret smiled. "That's my girl." She pressed a kiss on her forehead and left her on the floor. Emma looked totally restless at her and Regina.

"Go Emma, we're going to be here." Regina assured her with a small smile. Emma smiled slightly and took Miss Smith's hand starting to move towards the kids.

"Are you sure she's able to take care of her?" Regina quickly asked once Miss Smith was introducing Emma to the other children. "I don't trust her."

"Regina," Mary Margaret sighed, knowing that would happen. "She's kind, I know her. And you saw it; she was the one who convinced Emma to go there."

"Yes, but..."

"And you don't trust anyone to take care of Emma," Mary Margaret said.

When Emma turned two years old, they began to look for someone who could take care of Emma while they work, but every person that they knew, Regina always found a defect, and convinced Mary Margaret that they couldn't hire her. But Emma couldn't stay in Regina's office again, although Regina said it was nothing, Mary Margaret knew she had times when she had to cancel meetings due to the disorder that Emma did in her office. So, after not finding anyone who could take care of Emma, Mary Margaret decided to take another year of maternity leave, until Emma was three years old and could go to kindergarten.

"She'll be fine." Mary Margaret said with a small smile, watching her daughter start playing with two other girls. But before she run to one side of the room, Emma turned to check that two of them were still there.

"Hey, Mommy, hey Gina!" She waved her hand, with a big smile. The mayor and the school teacher did the same, as Emma again turn around to run to the other girls.

"I think we should go now." Mary Margaret said quickly, seeing that Emma was very entertaining with girls.

"Why? We can stay longer. I'm the mayor; I can say I'm here to control." Regina replied with some discomfort. She still didn't trust anyone else could take care of Emma.

"Regina." Mary Margaret said giving her a meaningful look. "We must go now."

"What do you think she will do when she sees that we are not here?" Regina asked, starting to walk toward the door as Mary Margaret did.

"She'll be upset, but she'll be fine." She took one look at Miss Smith to reach the door. She nodded slightly and walked over to Emma and the other girls to distract them.

"Mary Margaret, maybe..." Regina tried to say without intending to leave the girl there.

"Let's go." Mary Margaret took her arm and led her out of the room, closing the door gently. But as soon as the door closed, both of them began to hear Emma screaming.

"Mommy, Mommy, Gina!" Emma's screams began to be heard from inside the room. Quickly the two women came to the door but stopped to see through the glass door, a blond head jumping to open the door. "Mommy, don't leave me here, Mommy!" And she had begun to cry.

Regina looked at Mary Margaret, who she knew was making superhuman strength to not open the door and take the girl. Regina understood at that time that they had to leave now, at some point Emma would stop cry, and she would continue playing with the other kids. If they came there again, Emma wouldn't want to stay there.

"You were right," Regina said, trying to turn a deaf ear at Emma's piercing screams. She just wanted to take the child and never let her go, but she had to do the right thing. "We must go now."

But Mary Margaret didn't seem to be listening to Regina; she could only Emma's cries, asking for her, screaming for her. She had begun to cry not leave her there, as if she really thought she would never came back for her. How could she think that? She was her mother, and she couldn't let her little girl thought she could leave her to never come back for her.

"Emma..." Mary Margaret whispered, taking a step toward the door, but she felt her arm quickly be taken and be taking away.

"No, we have to go now." Regina repeated, earning now Mary Margaret's attention. "You know that if we came in, she will not stay."

Mary Margaret blinked, listening to Regina's words. She was right, but Emma kept yelling for them, and that was breaking her soul. But when she looked at Regina's eyes, she knew that the mayor was feeling the same, but she was trying to stay strong. "You're right..."

Both of them began to hear Miss Smith's voice, she was saying reassuring things to Emma as they could see Emma's blonde hair start to pull away from the door, as her screams began to stop.

Regina sighed, thankful that her screams had stopped. "Let's go." She took Mary Margaret's arm; and they began walk away from the room.

* * *

Regina quickly got out of her car, heading into kindergarten. She clutched at her portfolio standing still near the entrance of the place, as all the other moms. But the mayor looked around, searching for Mary Margaret. Quickly she found her, but running to her holding her purse on her shoulder and the folders of her classroom with her other hand.

"Oh my god, I'm almost late." Mary Margaret said something stirred, staying close to Regina. The mayor rolled her eyes.

"I don't know why you always take these exams. You can't just leave them in the classroom?"

"Of course not, I must qualify the kids." Mary Margaret said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, so Regina just sighed.

The door of kindergarten opened, and teachers with children began to get out. Apparently, they went by age, so Miss Smith was the one who came first with the kids. She said the child's name, and the parents should come to pick it up.

"Emma Blanchard!" Miss Smith said, taking Emma's hand. Emma started looking around, totally scared of not seeing her Mama or Gina on any side.

"Here!" Mary Margaret said approaching at them with Regina. Emma's eyes lit up and she quickly was running toward them.

"You came, you came!" Emma yelled throwing into her mother's arms, although they were fully occupied, Mary Margaret took her little girl hugging her.

"Of course we did," Mary Margaret whispered, stroking her long blond hair. She kissed her head as Emma walked away to hug Regina.

"How could you think we could leave you?" Regina said lifting her up and placing her on her hip.

"I – I thought you'd never come back." She stammered, feeling tears fill her eyes again. But Mary Margaret shook her head slightly and stroked her face.

"That could never happen. We could never leave you." And though the tears had started to slide down her cheeks, Emma smiled.

"You promise?" She asked, looking at her Mom, but then her gaze moving to Regina. The mayor smiled and wiped her tears with the tip of her finger.

"We promise." Regina assured her, with a smile. Emma smiled wider and leaned her head on Regina's shoulder, looking at her Mama with a small smile.

"Would you like to get an ice cream now?" Mary Margaret smiled at her daughter knowing that it would make her feel much better.

"Yep!" Emma said lifting her head enthusiastically. But she quickly turned her head to Regina, and furrowed her brow. "You must return to the office?"

Regina wrinkled her nose a little and shook her head slightly, forming a small smile. "I think I can take a break, what do you think?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Emma said with more joy. Regina laughed and kissed her forehead before letting her on the ground to then take her hand.

The three began to walk down the sidewalk, Emma in the middle of the women, but this time taking Regina's hand. She had been so frightened when she saw that they were not in the room, and she had cried, and cried for them, but Miss Smith had told her that they would come back for her because they loved her so much. But Emma had not been convinced, and she had been all the time wondering to herself if they would return.

But Miss Smith was right, they loved her very much, and they would always come back for her.

* * *

**I know that this story is rated as Hurt/Comfort, but these chapters are necessary to reach that point. I'm evil, I know. -.-'**

**Well, thank you very much for your revies! Really, I love reading them. Reading what you all think, what you want to happen here, I love it.**

**I'm sorry if there's grammaticals errors!**

**I'm sorry if it took me long to upload, but school, uhg, it took my week. -.-' But I'm here, and I left this chapter about Emma's first day in kintergarden, so... what you all think? I want to know :), so please, leave R&R? They make my day!**

**Thanks for reading! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

Emma watched her mother leaving the principal's office. The little blonde dropped her gaze to the floor and folded her hands in her skirt, knowing that she was in trouble. She had not sought the fight; the other girl had been very mean. She kept bothering her, so she had to beat her. And the teacher had been totally unfair, because she had taken her to the principal, but not the other girl.

"Emma." Emma swallowed as she heard her mom's voice. She lifted her head slightly, and smiled, showing all her teeth, hoping that it would work with her mother. It always worked, but now... "No, you and I are going to talk when we get home." She extended her hand to her as Emma erased her smile. "Let's go." Emma snorted and took her hand beginning to walk towards the exit with her mother.

It was not fair that she had been taken to the principal's office, because everyone else would think she was like the wicked witch of the story. And she was just trying to defend what she loved. And she didn't want other people to think that, because it was her third day in school. She loved school, and now everyone probably would hate her.

"It wasn't my fault!" Emma said firmly once they left school. Mary Margaret stopped walking and turned to look at her daughter. "She was bothering me, she was saying bad things!"

"Emma, no matter what the other girl have said... hit her in the face and grab her hair is not the solution. You can't do that." Mary Margaret said, her voice calm yet firm for her six years old daughter could understand the seriousness of the situation.

"She was saying bad things about everything! About Gina!" Emma furrowed her brow totally mad but also with some sadness. "She was bothering me because I don't have a Daddy."

Mary Margaret felt her heart shrink to hear the sadness in her little girl's voice. The other girl had indeed been wicked. How anyone could make fun of her daughter because she didn't have a father? Emma had never asked about him, but Mary Margaret was sure that when school started for her, she would begin to have those questions.

"And I didn't know what to say, so I hit her." She crossed her arms and continued with her eyes hard towards her mother. "She deserved it."

Mary Margaret sighed and walked over to her, crouching to her level. "She was something evil, because those things shouldn't be said to annoy anyone. And you have every right to feel angry and sad about that, but you can't hit her Emma. Which is what I always tell you?"

Emma uncrossed her arms slightly and looked down, a little embarrassed. "Always be kind." She whispered.

"And you are... don't let anyone take that from you for most things they do or say. You must show what is right, and be kind." Emma kept looking at the ground, so Mary Margaret took her chin and lifted her head to look at her eyes. "Do you understand?"

Emma didn't regret having beaten that girl, because she deserved it. She just hoped that after this she wouldn't bother her anymore. "Yes, Mama."

Mary Margaret smiled slightly and pressed a kiss to her forehead, getting up. "The next time that she or anyone bother you, you just go and tell the teacher what happens, okay?"

"Okay." Emma nodded slightly. Mary Margaret smiled and took her hand once more to continue walking towards their home. "Where's my Daddy, Mama?"

Mary Margaret froze to hear the big question. She had always thought that this question would come, but she could never think of an answer for her daughter, because she just didn't want to lie to her.

But what else could she do? She had no idea about Emma's birth parents, and she couldn't tell her the little information she knew. Her parents left her in the woods, with nothing but a blanket. That tore her own heart, Mary Margaret couldn't allow shatter Emma's heart, too.

"Mommy?" Emma said shaking her mom's hand. Mary Margaret blinked back to reality, and knowing that she must give an answer to the girl. "Is he dead?"

The school teacher opened her eyes in surprise to discover that her daughter knew about death. "Who told you that?"

"The girl said that. She said I don't have a Daddy because he's probably dead or because he didn't want me and fled." Emma's eyes quickly filled with tears and Mary Margaret could see her lower lip trembling. "Why he didn't want me?"

"No, Emma." She crouched in front of her once more, placing a hand on her face. "He loved you." And that was all she could think to say to her daughter's pain didn't grow.

And she was right. Emma's face quickly brightened. "He did? But – where's he, then?"

Mary Margaret opened her mouth and closed, watching Emma's green eyes lit up. She just couldn't ruin her daughter's enthusiasm. "He's... he went away." Emma quickly furrowed her brow, totally confused. "He had to make a trip, but I'm sure that when you're grown up, he will return."

Emma smiled broadly, and Mary Margaret knew she had never seen such a beautiful smile on her face. "So, I do have a Daddy. And when he returns, we will be able to be a family, Mommy!"

Mary Margaret quickly felt a lump in her throat. Emma was now more excited than before, but now for a lie. A lie from her. She had lied to her, and now her daughter was imagining a future that would never come, because her Daddy was _never_ coming back.

"He's doing a dangerous journey, sweetheart." Mary Margaret began, feeling totally at fault for creating such a lie for her daughter. "It is possible that he may never come back." He never would do, but she couldn't ruin Emma's happiness altogether.

Emma's smile disappeared slowly, but after a second, she smiled again. "Don't worry, Mommy. If he can't come back here, I'll go look for him. And I _will_ find him."

Mary Margaret smiled slightly, feeling her eyes fill with tears. But she couldn't let Emma see that, so she took her daughter and hugged her tightly. Mary Margaret felt so miserable for telling such a lie. But she had done for her own good. When Emma would be older, she would tell her the truth. All of it. She knew that someday she should tell Emma that she wasn't her biological mother, but Mary Margaret hoped that day was far, far away.

* * *

Regina kept some papers in a folder and put that folder in the bottom drawer. She sighed, turning her gaze to other papers; it seemed that the papers never disappeared from her desk. But then a series of shots was heard from the door, and Regina smiled knowing that only one person could hit that way.

"Yes?" Regina raised her voice getting up from her seat and walked to the door. But the door opened before she could get there as a little girl came running.

"Gina!" Emma shouted with a smile on her face. Regina opened her arms as the child leaped toward her.

"Hey, I didn't know you were gonna be around here..." She said with a small smile, stroking Emma's long blond hair. She raised her eyes to see Mary Margaret holding her purse and closing the door behind her.

"I just wanted to tell you two things." Mary Margaret said crossing her arms as Emma walked away from her.

And Regina knew something was wrong. Or at least, Emma had done something wrong. "What happened?"

"Emma hit a girl in the school." Regina quickly shifted her gaze to the girl, who was now staring at the floor not wanting to meet the gaze of anyone.

"You did that Emma?"

Emma bit her lip, but she lifted her head. "Yes, but she was evil! She was saying bad things about you!"

"What?" Regina frowned, totally annoying. "What was she saying?"

"She said you were evil to everyone, and that you don't really love me, that you only pretend to."

And Regina quickly felt great anger at this girl who could have said that to this little girl who was all in her life. Who could anyone think otherwise? And worse, who could tell her otherwise? "And you hit her for that?"

"Yes..." Emma whispered embarrassed, remembering her mom's words.

Regina looked at Mary Margaret and raised her eyebrows. "She deserved it."

Emma grinned and ran to hug Regina's legs. "I knew it!"

"Regina!" Mary Margaret almost screamed at Regina's behavior. Regina shrugged, but when she saw the school teacher didn't change her look, she sighed and lowered her gaze to Emma.

"You shouldn't have beaten her, Emma. Next time, just tell the teacher... or leave her to me." Mary Margaret sighed rendered, knowing beforehand that Regina would say those things.

"And she was saying things about my Daddy, but now I know that's not true, and when I grow up I'll find him!" Emma said with her eyes lit up and a big smile.

"Your... Daddy?" Regina furrowed her brow and looked at Mary Margaret, waiting for her answer.

"Yes, Mommy told me that he's making a journey, but I told her that if he can't return I'll find him." Emma continued cheerfully, as Regina didn't take her eyes of Mary Margaret waiting for an explanation.

"Okay, Emma, wait outside."

Emma changed her look from Regina to her mom. "Why?"

"I have to discuss things with Regina, go."

Emma snorted but eventually she complied getting out of the room. Once she was outside, Regina crossed her arms. "A journey?"

"She asked for her father, I didn't know what to say. You should have seen her face when she asked if he was dead, or if he didn't want her." Mary Margaret said quickly, wanting to justify what neither she wanted to justify, because eventually, she had lied to her daughter.

"But that's the truth. He didn't want her. He and the other woman left her in the woods with nothing but a blanket." Regina snapped totally annoying. "When she finds out the truth, she'll hate you for lying to her. And you did that to protect the bastards who left her alone!"

"I didn't lie to protect them; I did what I did to protect her. I couldn't break her heart, and I'm going to tell her the truth when she's older, and I'll have to accept the consequences."

"You created false hopes in her. You know how horrible that is?" Mary Margaret quickly felt her eyes fill with tears. She had not thought of it that way. She felt very guilty before but at Regina's words, she thought she was the worst person in the world. "You should have told her that he was dead, because now she'll be waiting for someone who will never come."

Regina didn't know how hurtful her words were until she saw the tears slide down Mary Margaret's cheeks. "Okay!" Mary Margaret cried clinging to her purse and wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I'm sorry for being so horrible mother, thank you very much for letting me see it, Madam Mayor." She walked to the door but before leaving she turned to look at Regina. "You know what? I'm a horrible mother, but the people are right. You're evil with everyone except Emma. With _everyone_. And I shouldn't have come." And without another word, she opened the door and left the room, closing the door hard behind her.

Regina stood in her place, thinking about what she had done. She had made Mary Margaret cry. She had never seen her cry, and now she had done and because of her. She just wanted her to realize the mistake she had committed, because she really was upset because when Emma grows, the girl was going to suffer a lot when she finds out the truth. And that couldn't do more than annoy Regina, though she didn't have thought that her words could hurt so much the schoolteacher.

* * *

Emma was confused. Her mother had gone very angry of Regina's office, and she didn't even let her say goodbye to her that she had taken her hand and had begun to walk toward the exit. But Emma as she walked beside her mother could see her wet cheeks. She herself had cried many times, and she knew then her cheeks were wet. So, her mom had cried. But why?

"Mommy, where are we going?" Emma asked confused to see that they entered the hospital. "Are you sick?"

"No, I come to put me to volunteer here." Mary Margaret replied without taking her eyes from the front. She a few days thought about doing that, and as soon as she came out of Regina's office, she knew she had to, without knowing why.

"And what's that?" Emma asked at her side.

"I'm going to help people who are sick."

Emma didn't ask anything else when they arrived at the reception. She stood next to her mother as Mary Margaret began to fill the papers that the receptionist had given her. Emma started looking around, seeing many people on stretchers, most of them asleep. The little girl didn't pay attention to this, but then, she saw a room far away, where there was only one bed.

Emma looked up, seeing that her mother was still busy in the papers. She returned her gaze to the room and started walking towards her, trying to see in more detail who was there. Once she reached the door, Emma turned to see her mother. Mary Margaret was talking to the receptionist, so Emma smiled slightly opening the door in front of her and coming into the room.

Once inside, Emma began to move toward the bed, noting that there was a man. A man who was asleep, but he had something connected to his nose, as many machines around him. The child furrowed brow approaching closer to him, with great curiosity.

"Hi?" Emma said, hoping that if the man heard her voice, he would wake up. "Are you okay? I'm Emma." She moved closer to him and placed her small hand on the man's hand. He was very cold. "Are you cold?" Emma furrowed her brow again to see that the man didn't seem to wake up. "Hey, why don't you wake up?"

The little blonde raised her eyes to the machines that were there, not understanding much of what it all meant. She moved her mouth to the side and turned her gaze to the man, feeling the need to tell him what she had discovered today.

"Today I discovered that my Daddy is traveling. I hope his journey will end soon, so he can come home with me and my Mommy. She said he loved me." Emma furrowed her brow slightly. "I hope he still does, what do you think?"

She waited hoping that the man could wake up and talk to her, as she was doing with him. But he was still the same, without moving, without opening his eyes, and without speaking. Emma sighed lowering her eyes as she felt a small movement under her hand. Quickly, she lifted her gaze to her hand that was on the man's hand and smiled at his fingers moving.

"Are you listening?" Emma asked with a big smile, waiting to see at any time the men's eyes open. "Well, then my Mommy said he maybe couldn't be able to return, but then I promised that I was going to find him." Emma's smile widened even more. "I know I will."

"Emma!" Emma turned around quickly to see her mother looking in all directions, looking for her with her look. She bit her lip and turned her gaze to the man.

"I gotta go; my Mommy is looking for me." She squeezed slightly man's hand and smiled. "I hope you wake up soon, too..." She moved closer and placing herself on tiptoe feet, managed to leave a little kiss on the man's cheek.

Emma turned quickly and left the room, running to Mary Margaret, without even realizing that the man had opened his eyes as soon as she had left the room.

"I'm here, Mommy!" Emma said running to Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret saw her and sighed, placing a hand on her chest.

"Where have you been? I've told you not to go too far in places like this, Emma!" Emma placed at her side and took her hand.

"I'm sorry, I was just..."

"It's okay, I'm sorry. I'm a little nervous." She smiled at her daughter and stroked her head. "Let's go, Regina is waiting for us to Granny's."

Seconds ago Mary Margaret had received a call from Regina; apparently she was waiting for them to Granny's. She had also not been very good after that "discussion", so it was best that they could fix things.

"Mama, can I come here with you to help people?"

Mary Margaret laughed slightly as she looked to both sides of the street to cross. "Why would you want to do that, sweetie?"

"I helped a man."

Mary Margaret froze, lowering her gaze to her daughter, thinking about how her little girl may have helped a man. And unfortunately, she was not thinking of something good. "Emma, how you helped a man?"

"Well, while you were talking to that lady, I was talking to a man who couldn't wake up. But I think he'll wake up soon, because he moved his fingers." Emma said with a shrug.

"Emma," Mary Margaret said firmly, starting to cross the street. "You can't go to a man you don't know, alright? That's not right."

"Oh, but he wasn't awake. I told him about my Daddy." Both of them beginning to do their way to Granny's. "But I'm not going to do it again, Mommy. I promise."

"I hope so, that's not safe Emma."

Mary Margaret opened the door to Granny's and Emma smiled to see Regina sitting at a table. She got off her mom's hand and ran to the mayor, sitting at her side.

"Hi, Gina! I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye to you, Mommy wanted to go fast."

"Yeah, I know, it's okay." Regina said, stroking her head. Mary Margaret came to them and sat in front of them. "Mary Margaret... I'm... I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." She sighed, shaking her head slightly. "I didn't mean what I said, I was angry and hurt and –"

"I think you're right, though." Mary Margaret furrowed her brow, somewhat confused. "I am what I am, but I try to be better with her, and – and you are my friend, so I'm sorry if I am as I am with everyone with you, too."

Mary Margaret was stunned; Regina had just admitted that she was like her friend. Well, it was already been six years since they had begun to be better, so it was logical that Regina could begin to accept her as her friend, but Mary Margaret had taken her that way about years.

"Regina, I didn't mean what I said." She said quickly, remembering the words she had said. "You are not like that. If you are as you are with us, you can be so with everyone."

"I'm fine as I am now." She said with a shrug. Mary Margaret smiled slightly; knowing that Regina could change her attitude would take some time. "So..." The mayor turned her gaze to the child who had to her side. "You want some cocoa with cinnamon?"

Emma smiled broadly, nodding. "Yes, yes!"

"Madam Mayor..." Graham came to the table with a serious look. Regina frowned, Graham never had that look. "You must come with me to the hospital."

"To the hospital?" Regina looked somewhat confused to Mary Margaret, noting that she was as confused as her. Then, she turned her gaze to the sheriff. "Why? What happened?"

"There's a patient who was in a coma for long time... and now, he woke up. And you are its emergency contact."

"A patient?" Regina asked even more confused. "What's its name?"

"We don't know. He's a John Doe."

"Well..." Regina sighed getting up. "I think I'll have to go then."

"Oh, really?" Emma complained forming a grin on her lips. Regina smiled slightly and patted her head.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, don't worry." Emma smiled slightly as Regina began to walk away with Graham.

"Mommy, it's him!" Emma said with enthusiasm and forming a big smile. Mary Margaret looked totally confused to her daughter.

"What are you talking about?"

"The man I helped... I told him about my Daddy... I'm sure he's awake!"

Mary Margaret could see the determination in Emma's eyes, but she shook her head slightly, knowing it was impossible for that to have happened. "No, Emma. Surely is another man..."

Emma furrowed her brow, lowering her expectations, as Mary Margaret was beginning to think of her daughter's words. It was true that her daughter had told her about a man she had helped, and now it was strange that a patient has awoken from its coma. But no... they were probably different people… it had to be so. How her six years old daughter could wake someone up from a coma? That was impossible.

* * *

**Hi y'all! Here I leave this chapter, for those who were asking for David. I hope have filled yours expectations, but don't worry, you will see a little more about David.**

**And about Regina/MM as a couple... I don't know, from the beginning I thought of them as friends, best friends, maybe. It's strange to see them so close together raising Emma, but that's because Regina always wanted to have a role in Emma's life. What I mean is that I always thought of them as friends, or family...**

**You can tell me if you want to read what happens after David wakes up, or if you want to keep seeing moments in Emma's life, I mean, a year after that.**

**I love your reviews, thank you so much for them! All of them! I couldn't return one by one today, though. I'm a little busy, but I'll try to answer one by one!**

**And now I'm going to see Ouat's new episode, although I saw the promo "The Evil Queen" and well, I can't wait to see Regina/Snow interaction, gods.**

**Thanks fo reading, really!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's a fluff of **

**Emma/MM, **

**Emma/David, **

**Emma/Regina. **

**I think it's a chapter about Emma with her "parents." lol**

* * *

Mary Margaret sat beside her daughter, holding out a small glass of water to her. Emma took the glass with a small smile and drank the water, as her mother looked around, as if she expected to see someone. Emma frowned and threw the disposable cup in the trash that was at her side.

"Mama, what's wrong?" Emma asked confused. Her mom seemed kind of nervous, but she had told her that they were there because the receptionist had called her and she had said that she must complete additional paperwork to be a volunteer there.

Mary Margaret jumped a little at Emma's question, and looked at her, forming a smile. "Everything's okay, sweetheart."

Emma shrugged and turned her gaze forward, as Mary Margaret did the same, trying to be as quiet as possible. She herself didn't know because she was so nervous about being in the hospital, when she had gone the day before to apply as a volunteer. She now had to do a little more paperwork, and then she would be back at her home with her daughter.

But she couldn't stop thinking about Emma's words. She had been all day yesterday talking to her about the man she had helped, it had been the man who had awakened from his coma. Of course, her daughter didn't know about what it meant to be in a coma, but she was still totally convinced that that was the man she had helped. And Mary Margaret couldn't stop thinking about it, as her need to meet the man grew more and more.

She didn't know why she had that need, but it surely was because of Emma. She was to meet the people that her daughter knew. The people in Storybrooke were always friendly with Emma, but the man seemed to be someone new for her. So, Mary Margaret was sure that was the reason why she wanted to meet this man.

"Mommy!" Emma shook her arm, making Mary Margaret returned to her. "The lady is calling you." Emma looked ahead, where a woman was standing in front of a room, looking at them.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Mary Margaret said quickly, taking her purse and getting up. She took a few steps forward but then remembered the little girl behind her and turned. "Emma, stay here. I mean it, don't go anywhere, okay? I will come in and go out, it will be very fast."

"Okay," Emma nodded. Mary Margaret smiled slightly and walked over to the woman, entering the room with her.

Emma watched her mother disappear from her eyes and looked at her sides, watching nurses and doctors walking everywhere. She sighed and stood up, starting to walk around. She wouldn't go anywhere, if her mom left the room and she didn't see her there, she would be in trouble. But Emma snorted to see that there was nothing fun to do there.

Beginning to return to her seat, Emma saw in a corner a small table with many magazines on it. The little girl smiled and ran toward it, taking two magazines. She didn't like to see magazines, but she liked to see the pictures, and now she could recognize some letters. She had learned to write her own name when she was in kindergarten.

But when Emma turned to go to her seat, she was hit with a pair of legs, causing her to fall to the ground, still holding the magazines.

"Whoa, I'm sorry... are you okay?" Emma blinked hard, with her hands at her sides. She shook her head slightly and raised her eyes, noting that there was a hand stretched towards her. She took that hand tightly and the other person helped her up. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

Emma lifted her head to face the man, and she opened her eyes wide in surprise. This was the man to whom she had spoken yesterday, telling him about her Daddy and who then had awakened. It was him, Emma was sure. She remembered well his face, but he could remember her?

"I knew it was you!" Emma exclaimed happily, holding the magazines against her chest. The man furrowed his brow confused, and Emma's smile quickly disappeared. "Don't you remember me?"

"I – I'm sorry if I don't remember you... I don't remember any of my life, buddy." The man smirked, slightly. But Emma twitched her nose, somewhat annoyed.

"It's okay. You were asleep when I talked to you." When Emma saw more confusion in man's face, she added. "My Mommy's going to volunteer here, and I was waiting for her. And I saw your room and went to talk to you; you seemed to listen me... you moved your fingers."

"Really?" The man smiled slightly. "Well, thank you very much for talking with me..." He frowned, watching the little girl's eyes. "Can I know your name?"

"I'm Emma." Emma smiled extending her hand. "What's your name?"

Emma. Something stirred within him. It was as if something in his mind began to move toward him. This little girl had asked for his name, and he was about to tell her he couldn't remember his name, but suddenly, one name came at his mind. His _real_ name.

"David." He said without even thinking. But when he heard his voice saying that name, he couldn't help but smile and stretch his hand to the child. "My name is David."

Emma smiled and took David's hand, moving it up and down. "Nice to meet you, David."

And there was that feeling again. David began to feel a strange sensation, as his legs began to weaken, and his head began to ache, really began to hurt him. His vision began to become increasingly blurred, and he could feel as if the room began to move by itself, the walls, the floor... and he couldn't see clearly the girl in front of him.

"I'm – I'm sorry... I gotta go." David said moving away from Emma, bringing his hand to his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked curiously, furrowing her brow. David shook his head slightly.

"Sorry, I must go." And he turned around, starting to walk away from the child, hoping he could find his room soon.

Emma watched the man walked away and away, until she couldn't see him anymore. She would have gone after him because he seemed to be very confused... but her Mommy had told her she had to stay there, and she had to obey. The girl shrugged and sat in her seat, placing a magazine on her lap.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret said quickly leaving the room. She had been trying to be as fast as possible there, knowing that her daughter was outside, alone. "Everything's fine?" She approached her.

"Yep." Emma smiled leaving the magazines aside and jumping to the ground. "Mommy, I told you that the man who had awakened was the man I had talked to about my Daddy!"

"Emma..." Mary Margaret sighed, knowing that her daughter would start with her enthusiasm again.

"He was here recently, his name is David." Emma told her impatient, wishing her mother would believe her now. "But he seemed a little confused. And he then left."

"David?" Mary Margaret whispered, as if that name was known to her, although she really didn't know any David. But she reacted to remember that her daughter had spoken to a stranger. "Alright, Emma, what I told you about talking to strangers?"

"But he's not a stranger! I spoke to him yesterday, and I now know his name." Emma said with some pride.

"No, I don't want you to talk to this man again, do you understand?"

"But Mommy... he is friendly and ..."

"Emma." Mary Margaret said firmly, crossing her arms. And Emma knew she had to obey when her mother looked at her that way and she crossed her arms.

"Okay..." The child whispered, lowering her head. Mary Margaret sighed and took her little hand.

"It's for your own good, sweetheart. I don't know who he is."

Emma raised her head quickly, with her green eyes totally lit. "And what if you know him? He wouldn't be more an stranger, right?"

The brunette frowned, watching her daughter's eyes lit up. "Why are you so concerned about him?"

"Because..." Emma tried to say as if it was easy to answer, but she found herself in trouble. She really didn't know why. "Well, he seems friendly. And he moved his fingers when I asked him if he thought my Daddy could continue loving me." And Emma smiled immensely. "I know he meant that my Daddy does."

Mary Margaret sighed, placing one of her hands on Emma's face. All this was about her Daddy. But the school teacher felt her heart contract, remembering that she had lied to her daughter about that. All this was about her Daddy, but unconsciously, all this was about a lie. Her little girl was so excited about something that wasn't true that made Mary Margaret feel the worst person in the whole world.

"Let's go." She whispered, stroking her daughter's cheek. Emma smiled slightly and took her mom's hand starting to walk at her side.

* * *

Emma started jumping on the sofa in Regina's office. She had asked her mom if she could be with Regina for a while, and Regina had accepted. Emma loved being with Regina and _in_ her office. She could do whatever she wanted; Regina could order food for her through the phone, and within minutes, the food was there. And she could be Regina's secretary, helping her with papers or sometimes she was a journalist who was there to ask questions to Regina about everything.

Regina walked into the office, and although Emma knew she didn't like she jumped on the couch, she couldn't help doing it. "Emma! Get down from there, you could fall." Emma stopped jumping but continued standing on the couch, so Regina approached her and took the girl, placing her on the floor. "And I told you that you can't jump on the couch with your shoes on."

"But it's fun, Gina!" Emma complained as Regina was headed toward her seat to continue watching the papers she was seeing. "Can I help you?"

"No, I've got this." Regina said without moving her eyes from the papers. Emma rolled her eyes and sat across from her, looking around.

"Can I be your secretary today?"

"Emma..." Regina sighed; she really had a lot of work to do. When Mary Margaret had called her because Emma wanted to spend time with her, she had not been able to say no. But that didn't take away the fact that she had many papers to sign, and she needed the girl was as quiet as possible. But as always, Regina knew that this little girl could get anything from her. "Alright, you can be my secretary today."

"Great!" Emma said with a big smile, quickly grabbing a paper and a pencil. "So, what do you want me to do, Mayor Mills?" Emma said, trying to make the voice of an adult.

Regina chuckled, watching Emma trying to put a serious face. "Well, I want you to make a list with the things I must do today, Miss Blanchard."

"_Swan_." Emma said quickly, and her face went soft again. "When I'm your secretary, I'm Emma Swan, remember? And when I am a journalist, I'm Emma Blanchard. I am different people, Gina!" Emma said with some discomfort, as if it was something very important that she should remember.

"Oh, right, sorry." Emma nodded slightly as she returned to sit rigidly. "So, you understand me, Miss Swan?"

"Yes, I will make the list right now."

And Regina saw Emma start drawing on paper. The mayor knew she would find a paper full of scribbles, but she should pretend it was her list of the things she should do during the day. She always made those games with Emma, she should assign things for her to do as her secretary, or she must answer questions from her, when she was a journalist. And recently, she had invented a new game, in which she was the sheriff's deputy, and she always brought a list – drawings, scribbles – that should be the criminals that she and the sheriff Graham had managed to grab and put in the jail.

Regina smiled turning her look from Emma at the papers again. She shook her head slightly as she signed a paper, not knowing how this little girl managed to get anything from her. But after a few minutes, Regina had managed to finish with a few papers, which she began to gather them all together and got up to go to a shelf where she kept many files.

"I finished, Gina!" Emma shouted proudly, spreading quickly the paper across the desk, inadvertently pushing a small glass of water, causing all the water falling on a few papers. "Oh, no, no!" Emma yelled trying to hold the glass, although the water had soaked all the papers.

Regina turned because of Emma's scream, and her eyes widened at the sight of the water completely run through the roles she had to sign. She almost ran to her desk, taking carefully the papers in her fingers.

"Oh my..." Regina whispered, trying to think of some solution to dry these papers. But she raised her eyes one second to Emma, and she frowned totally mad. "Emma! Why can't you just keep quiet?!" She yelled at the girl without even thinking.

Emma opened her eyes in surprise as tears began to fill them; Regina had never shouted at her being angry. She may have yelled at her because she had risen to dangerous places, or she had scolded her slightly, but she never had yelled at her. Not that way. "I'm – I'm sorry..." Emma whispered as tears began to go down her cheeks.

Regina turned her gaze to the papers, without even thinking about Emma's tears, at other time she would have rushed to comfort the girl, but now she could only think of what she should do now with the papers.

"Oh god, what am I going to do now?" Regina whispered to herself, looking at the papers. She walked quickly toward the small table that was in front of the couch and left the papers there, away from each other the more it could.

"Gina, I'm – I'm sorry..." Emma murmured again, getting up from her seat and heading towards Regina.

"I don't want to hear you now Emma, stop!" Regina screamed again, trying to think of a solution to dry those papers. They should be ready for the evening.

Emma lowered her head as her sobbing intensified. The little girl looked at the door when she heard someone knocking, but Regina seemed so lost in her thoughts to hear the door. After a few seconds, Emma saw David poke his head out the door.

"Madam Mayor..." He said, but when his gaze turned to the child with tears in her cheeks, he could feel his heart contract. "Emma?" He whispered with a frown, entering the office and approaching the girl without a second thought. "Why are you crying?"

Emma looked at Regina, she was on her back, and she didn't seem to have heard of David. "She... she yelled at me... like never before." Emma stammered in her tears.

David felt his heart break at the child's crying. He just couldn't stand it, and he didn't like the mayor. There was something in her that it made him feel uncomfortable, but he had not said anything because she was the mayor... but now he didn't even care that. That woman had caused a great cry in this little girl. "Mayor Mills!" David said, his voice firm and high.

Regina heard his voice and turned, still with anger etched on her face. "What are you doing here?" She snapped, she really didn't have time to deal with anyone.

"What have you done to her?" David said firmly, without taking her eyes off her. Regina frowned, confused despite her anger.

"What are you talking about?"

David lowered her gaze to Emma, so Regina did. And that's when she understood Emma's tears; she had yelled at her. And she had never been angry with her, ever. She had shouted to the child, and she had caused Emma's crying. Now Regina could see it clearly, though she returned her gaze to David. Who was he to demand answers about Emma? He wasn't anyone in her life.

"Why should I answer that? She's not your concern."

"Well, she's a child. And she's crying." And David remembered something he had heard in the hospital and couldn't keep those words out of his mouth. "And I heard that you don't have children, so she's not your child so that you can make her cry."

David was totally confused by his own words. Why had he said that? Why was he so angry at this woman for causing tears in a child he barely knew? It was very strange, but he had the need to defend that little girl.

Regina's eyes quickly filled with rage, and she clenched her fists, never taking her eyes off him. "You don't know _anything_ about her and me, so... it will be better that you tell me what are you doing here."

David sighed, lowering his gaze to Emma. She had calmed her tears, she seemed more relaxed now. He couldn't help but smile slightly. "Are you okay now?"

"Yes..." Emma muttered something shy, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Thank you."

Regina frowned, watching this man was looking at Emma with concentration. She didn't like that, he had just awakened from his coma, and he seemed to have a special affection for Emma? That was not possible. "She's fine, and you can tell me why you're here."

David turned his gaze to her, and knowing now that Emma was better, he had to answer at her question. "I remembered everything... my name, my life... everything."

"So..." Regina said hoping he would continue in confusion of not knowing what had she to do with all that.

"You told me that when I remember I should come to tell you. I'm looking for my wife, and I was hoping you could help me find her."

"Yes, well... what's her name?" Regina asked quickly, wanting this man to leave her office as soon as possible.

"It's – It's..." Regina saw him puckering his brow, as if he wasn't sure what he was about to say. "Kathryn. She must be Kathryn Nolan, because I'm David Nolan."

"Okay, Mr. Nolan. I will find your wife and I'll call you when I find her. Now, can you leave me with her?"

David lowered her gaze to Emma, who smiled slightly. She didn't seem scared of Regina, and although he was still angry because this woman had made the child cry, he could say that Regina cared about this girl. But he was still worried about her.

"Emma, what's your mother's name?"

Regina approached at Emma and placed a hand on her shoulder, looking coldly at David. "She's Mary Margaret Blanchard, so, if you have a problem with that she's staying with me, go and tell her mother what she thinks that her daughter is here with me."

Although David could see that Regina was pretty sure she would receive nothing wrong if he did that, he should do it anyway. With a little wry smile, he said. "Thanks for your time, Madam Mayor." And after look at Emma one last time, he turned and left the office.

"Who the hell he thinks he is." Regina murmured, moving toward the door and then close it tightly. Emma jumped at the noise, but when Regina turned again, she turned tense, hoping that Regina wouldn't be angrier with her.

"I'm sorry, Regina. I'm truly am." Emma said with her head down and getting to feel a great sadness again as the tears returned to her eyes.

"Emma, I'm sorry." Regina said getting closer to the girl and crouching in front of her. She took Emma's chin and raised her head to look at her fully watery green eyes. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"I deserved it." Emma muttered with a pout on her lips. Regina shook her head with a frown, wondering why she would think that she deserved to have been shouted that way.

"No, you didn't deserve it. I was very angry, but I'm going to find a solution. You didn't do it on purpose, and I should have seen that before." She moved closer to Emma and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry that I made you cry."

"I'm sorry I ruined your papers." Emma whispered in Regina's chest, clinging to her with a small smile because she wasn't mad at her anymore.

"I know... it's okay." She kissed Emma's head before separating from her to take her head to look at her eyes. "We're better now?"

"Yep." Emma said with a small smile. Regina smiled back and stroked her cheeks before standing on her feet again.

"Now give me a list of criminals who you and Graham could catch." Emma's eyes quickly lit up, and a smile formed on her face.

"Yeah, I'll do it now!" And she ran to Regina's desk, getting another paper and starting to draw on it.

Regina went to the wet papers, hoping that they could dry before evening, although she knew it couldn't happen. She should say that the papers would be for tomorrow in the morning, and that she had not yet managed to sign them. The people whom were waiting the papers should understand, and if they wouldn't, she didn't care. She was the mayor. They had to wait as long as necessary.

"Gina?" Emma said without taking her eyes from her drawing. Regina turned to face her, as Emma moved her head to look at her as well. "When I'm the sheriff's deputy... can I be Emma Mills?"

Regina's breathing seemed cut for a moment at Emma's question. She swallowed and smiled hugely, nodding. "Of course you can be, dear."

"Thanks!" Emma replied with a smile. "But don't forget it!"

Regina smiled knowing she could never forget that name. She had thought sometimes in Emma with her own surname, but she always knew that was never going to be possible. Emma had her mother's surname, as it should be. And so it was always going to be.

But now Regina knew that Emma was the sheriff's deputy could be her new favorite game. So, she returned her gaze to Emma and widened her smile. "I'm sure I will _not_ forget it."

* * *

**Hey everyone! I saw that some wanted the after David awakens, so I made this. But, there will be more about David... I have yet to make David and Mary Margaret meeting, isn't it? :)**

**So, what do you think about David and Emma? About David reacting that way with Regina because Emma's crying? Or what do you think about that reaction that Regina had with Emma, although in the end she apologized...**

**As always, I'm sorry if there's grammatical errors!**

**Thank you for reading, I love reading the reviews!**


	8. Chapter 8

Mary Margaret sighed watching the clear sky. The birds flew from side to side, and nothing could be heard around there, except for the wind hitting the leaves of the trees. It was all very quiet, and that was what Mary Margaret always loved about Toll Bridge, although most people named it the Troll Bridge.

She loved the tranquility that was there. She had taken Emma there many times, teaching her the nature and how quiet a place could be. Emma loved that place, too. But Mary Margaret felt something special about that place... she never knew why, but from the first moment she stepped on the bridge, she knew she would love that place forever. Although Regina always insisted to her that there was nothing special about that place, and it wasn't safe to Emma be taken to there.

Anyway, Regina had gone there a few times, too. And as Emma grew, she could see that the mayor was increasingly effort for she liked that place, but Mary Margaret knew that Regina hated that place. She could never understand why. Neither Regina did.

_"Why do you hate this place?" Mary Margaret asked when Emma was five years old and she had wanted to go there with her __mother and Regina._

_Regina frowned, not taking her eyes of Emma, who was taking a few flowers from the ground a few feet from them. "I don't like it, what's the problem?"_

_"There's a difference between not like it and hate it. And you hate it." Mary Margaret said. She just couldn't understand how anyone could hate something full of nature._

_"Alright, I don't know why I hate it, okay? Just leave it like that."_

And Mary Margaret had not wanted to push harder. She really loved that place, many times she was there with Emma, and often as now, she was there when Emma was with Regina. She had times that needed to be alone there. But there was something that bothered her, because although she loved that place, the same place was bringing to her strange feelings. It was like always she got there, she instantly feel a void immense, but also something beautiful. As if she had lived something beautiful there.

Mary Margaret was startled to hear a rustling of branches. She had a good ear when it came to the woods – she had no idea why – and it was strange that she heard that, because almost no one ever went there. But the teacher assumed that maybe they were teenagers or children, she had seen one of them in the many trips she made there. But Mary Margaret frowned when she didn't hear a laughter, not even someone speaks.

With care and curiosity, Mary Margaret started to walk toward the other end of the bridge, towards the side where it could get back to town. But when she started to get closer and closer, at the distance she could see someone walking towards the bridge. The brunette froze in place, watching a somewhat disoriented man walking toward it, looking in all directions. He probably was lost. But Mary Margaret went a step further, noting that she didn't know the man. And she knew almost everyone in the town of Storybrooke.

It was a matter of seconds before he fell to the floor. Mary Margaret groaned in surprise and ran to the man, ready to see what was wrong with him. She crouched down next to him and could see his eyes closed. She shook his shoulder slightly, but the man didn't wake up. Mary Margaret looked around, noting that no one was there more than themselves.

"Oh god..." She whispered, turning her gaze to the man. His face... his face was familiar. She frowned, trying to remember if she had seen that face on someone else. She was sure she had done it, but she concentrated, and she concentrated, but no image came to her mind.

Mary Margaret bit her lip, not knowing what to do. She moved her head to the man's chest, checking if he was breathing. He was breathing. He surely had passed out. But she should wake him up. Returning her gaze to him, Mary Margaret took his face between her two hands.

She found herself closing her eyes, as if something had beaten her abruptly. And she would have sworn that she might have felt a strong wind on her face. But something in her hands began to burn, and she had to open her eyes quickly. His face had begun to sweat, and Mary Margaret could tell he had a fever. Actually, he probably had a high fever.

"Okay, no, I'm going to help you." She left gently the man's head on the ground and took her cell phone and began to dial the emergency numbers. "Hi? I need an ambulance at the Toll Bridge, urgent! A man has collapsed and he has a high fever." She waited to hear the answer from the other side that the ambulance was on its way to hang up and return her attention to the man.

Mary Margaret opened her eyes in surprise to see that the man began to move his head slightly. She swallowed waiting for him could fully awaken. She had already called an ambulance, but if he was awake, everything would be easier. The man began to open his eyes, blinking weakly. He began to recognize his surroundings and Mary Margaret could see the confusion on his face. But then, he moved his face and found her eyes.

She was stunned to see his blue eyes. She could lay hands on fire thinking that she had seen those eyes before. But again, she couldn't remember where she had seen those eyes. "H – hey..." Mary Margaret stammered, unable to find her voice steady. But she began to feel something strange to the man's eyes; he was staring at her with confusion, surprise, and concentration. "Who are you?" She asked now with some nervousness.

"David." He quickly said, furrowing his brow. He looked around and placed his hands to his sides, sitting, but unable to tear his gaze from her.

"Well, David you... you are feverish." She slowly approached her hand to his face, touching his forehead slightly, but with intimacy. "You're really burning with fever."

"I was – I was lost ..." He whispered, his eyes focusing on her eyes. "And you found me."

David was sure he had never seen anyone so beautiful. It was as if he had woken up in the heaven. She had a beautiful white skin, with a hint of pink in her cheeks. But her green eyes were what attracted him most. He could swear that he had never seen such beautiful eyes as these, but still, he thought he had seen that look on someone else. Maybe he knew her, and he still couldn't distinguish her in his memory.

"What's – what's your name?" He muttered with a frown, watching as she opened her mouth to answer, while a noise stunned on both of them. He turned his head to see nurses lose an ambulance and run to him. "You – you called them?" David asked looking at Mary Margaret in confusion.

"You were unconscious." She said in response. "And my name is..."

The nurses arrived with a stretcher, and started helping David to get up. He got up, but tried to capture Mary Margaret's eyes again. But she quickly found a nurse in front of her, beginning to ask questions about him.

The nurses helped David to lie on the couch, as he tried to look at Mary Margaret from all the eyes. But he had begun to be carried to the ambulance. And Mary Margaret could see that. She started trying to divert her look to the nurse to get back to talk to him, she should come to him. Mary Margaret soon began to walk to the ambulance when David was already inside it. She didn't have any idea why she had to come to him and tell him her name, who she was. But she had to. She wanted to.

"Ohm," A nurse was placed in her path before she could reach the ambulance. "You are a relative of him?"

"I'm – not, I'm not, but..."

"Then you can't come." One of the ambulance doors closed, as the nurse began to walk backwards. "You could look for him at the hospital, I'm sorry."

The nurse came in the ambulance, and Mary Margaret took a few steps toward it before the other door closed. She had not even managed to capture his gaze again. She hadn't even been able to say her name. But she would tell him. She would find him, and she would tell him her name.

* * *

Mary Margaret went upstairs quickly, trying to get to the place where the receptionist had told her that a man found in the Toll Bridge was. It was the second floor, not far away, but she felt it was like many floors. Finally, she reached the second floor and started looking in all directions, trying to find him. In the distance she could see a room with walls of glass, and she could see his face from afar. She had not forgotten not a single trace of him in all the way she had done to get to the hospital.

Trying to appear calm, Mary Margaret began walking towards the room. He didn't seem to be awake, but as she got closer, she could see his eyes open; only that he was looking at the other way. Gently, she knocked on the door, causing him to look in her direction. And incredibly, she could see a small smile formed on his lips, so she took it as a yes.

The brunette opened the door slowly, coming in. "Hi..." She whispered, coming in a little more and closing the door behind her. "I – I just wanted to see how you were."

"You see, I was in a coma for a long time." He said with a small smile as she came closer. "And I woke up yesterday, and I should have followed the instructions of the doctors in staying around here, but..."

"You were in a coma?" Mary Margaret asked stunned, remembering Emma's words.

_"He was here recently, his name is David."_

This was the man who Emma claimed to have helped. It had to be him. He had been in a coma, and he was called David. It should be him.

Mary Margaret moved her head to the side with a puzzled look. "You are..."

"Mama!" Emma's voice came to her ears. She quickly turned around to find her daughter running towards her. Emma stood still in front of her, and looked at the man on the stretcher, and then back at her. "You knew him! I told you he was friendly!"

"Are you..." David said, connecting the pieces in its place. Mary Margaret turned to look at him in confusion. "You're her mother? Mary Margaret?"

"You found her, didn't you?" Emma said with a small smile approaching at him. David looked at Emma and smiled slightly.

"Wait – why he was supposed to find me?" Mary Margaret asked even more confused, crossing her arms.

"I went to tell the mayor that I had remembered everything. And Emma was crying." Mary Margaret quickly lowered her gaze to her daughter, furrowing her brow. "She said that Regina had yelled at her like never before... and I ask for your name to warn you about that. I don't know, I knew that she wasn't her child. I figured you should know about that. "

But Emma turned quickly. "She apologized later. I had spoiled her important papers."

Regina had made Emma cry? That was something she couldn't even imagine, but Emma had said that she had apologized later. So, it was true. But she had apologized later. Surely there hadn't been a big problem, but this man would have thought that it had been so to see that someone had made a child mourn. But Mary Margaret frowned quickly remembering that her daughter was in front of her.

"Emma, what are you doing here? Where's Regina?"

"David!" A woman's voice cried and Mary Margaret saw a woman walking quickly besides her moving toward David, to then hug him tightly. David frowned at the impact of the embrace of a strange woman. "I'm so happy you're back honey."

Mary Margaret saw David's face softened, but still the confusion was in him. "Kathryn?" He whispered, beginning to envelop the woman by his arms.

And Mary Margaret quickly felt a great sadness. She pursed her lips, without even knowing why her eyes had begun to fill with tears. He had recognized this woman, and he was hugging her. And she had said "_honey_", and Mary Margaret was smart enough to know who she was.

But the brunette came back to reality, and lowered her gaze to Emma, taking slowly her little hand. Emma looked at her in confusion, but Mary Margaret couldn't heed her gaze. She left the room taking her daughter with her, knowing that they should have their moment alone.

"Who is she?" Emma said once they were outside. Her mother didn't seem to have heard her because she kept walking, but Emma released her hand causing her mother react and turn around to face her. "Who's she, Mama?"

"His wife." Regina said walking towards them. Mary Margaret turned her gaze to her, confused. "You don't remember that he came asking me to find his wife?" She told Emma. Emma nodded slightly and returned her gaze to them. "Well, I did."

Mary Margaret turned her gaze to them, watching David averted his gaze to her. She could see his face full of confusion and surprise yet. And she couldn't help but start to twist the ring finger was always in her; she always turned that ring when she was restless. She didn't know why she was upset, but she was. Upset or sadness? She didn't know which of the two, neither the true reason.

"But, what are you doing here, Mary Margaret?" Regina asked, noticing the presence of the brunette. Plus, she knew she was upset because she was turning her ring.

"I – I found him in the Toll Bridge. He was burning because of the fever." She whispered, never taking her eyes off him.

Regina frowned, noting that she never took her eyes off him. And she had crystal eyes. And she was turning her ring. Something was not right. Something was not any right.

"We should go. He's with his family now." Regina said taking Emma's hand. Emma looked at her for a few seconds before returning her gaze to David and the woman, as Regina started walking with her. But Regina realized that Mary Margaret did not move, so she turned to face her. "Mary Margaret?"

Mary Margaret sighed, lowering her gaze to her ring. She moved it around her finger a few more times more before turning around, without even daring to look back to find his gaze. When she saw that Regina was staring at her, she decided she had to return to her old face. She didn't want to answer questions which neither herself knew the answers.

"Yeah, we should go." She repeated approaching towards them as Regina walked again, now knowing that Mary Margaret was on Emma's other side, walking with them.

* * *

Mary Margaret sat on the stairs of her home, twisting her ring on her finger again. For some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about all that had happened today. But what bothered her was why she was so moved by this man? She hadn't even known him more than ten minutes, but she had been desperate to get to the hospital, and she had been disappointed when she found out that she had a wife. What was wrong with her?

Luckily, Regina had not spoken about the subject, although Emma had been saying that now that she knew David, they could all be friends. But Mary Margaret just wanted to get away from him; she didn't want meet him anywhere if it that was possible. Or she did want that? Letting out a sigh, Mary Margaret shook her head, trying to clear her mind.

She had been all day thinking about that man. She couldn't do this to herself, why she should be thinking so much about him? She had a life, she had a daughter. She couldn't worry about strange men.

"Mommy?" Emma asked from behind her. Mary Margaret stood up quickly and turned to find her daughter in her pajamas, with her baby blanket hanging in one of her hands and with her other hand on her eyes, rubbing them.

"Hey, what are you doing up honey?" She climbed a couple of steps to remove blonde locks from her face.

"I had a nightmare... can I sleep with you?" Emma said with a pout on her lips and her eyes so tired but still with no intention of closing.

Mary Margaret knew she should say no, because that Emma slept in her own room had been somewhat difficult to achieve. She slept in her own room since she was four and a half, but still it had many times in the week that she got into her mother's bed and Mary Margaret woke up in the morning with her at her side. Surely Emma had thought of doing that tonight, but she found her in the middle of the stairs.

"Please?" Emma insisted at her mother's silence. Mary Margaret smiled sideways and stroked her cheek, getting closer to lift her in her arms. She placed her on her hip as she often did when she was younger. Emma smiled and hid her face in her mother's neck. "Thanks Mommy, I love you."

Mary Margaret smiled supporting her face in Emma's head, heading towards her room. And in that moment, she knew she didn't need to think of anyone else other than her daughter. She could not afford to be sad because she had her daughter. Emma was all she needed. "I love you more," She whispered, pressing a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

* * *

**I know that there wasn't so much about Regina in this chapter, but I assure you in the next it will be. I just needed to make this chapter about David&Mary Margaret.**

**Oh, and to be clear, this won't become a SwanQueen fic, in this story Regina loves Emma as if she were her own daughter. So, there will be even more about Emma and Regina, but as mother/daughter relationship, I think.**

**I love your reviews, you know! And now I would like to see if you want something to happen between Mary Margaret and David, and I would love to continue seeing what you want to see. :)**

**To say more, in the next chapter Emma will have a few more years. And something important will happen in her life, which obviously include Mary Margaret and Regina.**

**Thanks for reading, let your reviews to let me know what you think! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**I think this part of Emma's life is divided into two parts. So, the next chapter will be a continuation of this. Hope you like it!**

* * *

Regina glanced at the girl who was sitting at her side. Emma was concentrated with her beloved book in her lap, watching every page of it. Regina turned her gaze forward without taking her hands off the wheel, thinking of a way to try to get a normal conversation with this little girl. She loved her, she only wanted the best for her, and that book wasn't helping her.

"So... how was your meeting with Archie today?" Regina said bending in a corner. Emma didn't answer, so the mayor looked at the girl a few seconds before returning to face the front. "It was good?"

"Yes." Emma replied curtly, changing the pages again. Regina sighed and parked her car near a corner, and Emma looked around confused. "We're not at home."

"No, but I want you to listen to me." Regina said turning around to face her. "Emma, I don't want you in this way with me."

"You think I'm crazy." Emma muttered staring at her eyes. "Like everyone else."

"I don't think you're crazy." Regina quickly said stretching her hand to take Emma's still little hand. "I want the best for you, as your mom. We are far from thinking that you're crazy."

"Then why am I having sessions with Archie? You don't believe me!" The girl sighed frustrated. "I am telling the truth, why can't you just believe me?"

"That we are all fairy tale characters and you're the savior? You can listen to yourself?" Regina couldn't help but spit with some insensitivity. She had enough of those stories.

Emma looked at her eyes furiously and pulled her hand from hers brutally, turning to look straight ahead and closing her book in her lap. Regina sighed realizing that she had been rude. She stroked Emma's head but the girl seemed unfazed at that.

"Emma, I'm sorry. I just want you to see the reality."

"And you say you don't think I'm crazy." Emma whispered without taking her gaze forward. Regina sighed again but eventually started the engine of her car and started driving again.

As Regina was driving couldn't stop thinking about the last two weeks. Around two weeks that Emma was ten years old, and someone had sent her this book full of fairy tales. She and Mary Margaret didn't think it was a bad gift, but as the days passed, Emma began to behave more strangely. And it was almost a week and a half ago that the little girl had begun to tell that they were all fairy tale characters cursed, and that she was the savior. Neither she nor Mary Margaret paid attention to it at first, because they just thought it was Emma's imagination and eventually it would go away from her mind, but that didn't happen.

With each passing day, Emma was more convinced about that idea. And Regina had suggested that they should take her to Dr. Hopper. And she had begun the session to one week ago.

"Why didn't my mom picked me up today?" Emma asked as Regina parked her car in front of Mary Margaret's apartment.

"She had things to do. She asked me to do it for her." Regina replied getting out of her car as Emma did. They began to move toward the apartment to get into it and start climbing the stairs. "She invited me to dinner, though."

"Why?" Emma frowned, putting her book in her backpack. "Today is not Friday or Sunday."

"I know, but she offered me that." Regina smiled lightly placing a hand on Emma's head. "Aren't you happy about that?"

"Yeah, I am." Emma said with a small smile. Regina smiled back thinking that although Emma thought that they were being unfair to her, she loved to spend time with both of them, anyway.

They reached the front of Mary Margaret's house, and Regina raised her fist to knock the door softly. Emma grabbed her backpack while they waited for the school teacher. But the mayor frowned, knowing that Mary Margaret never took long to answer the door. Less if she knew that Emma was on the other side. Regina approached her fist at the door again, but this time the door opened, showing Mary Margaret on the other side.

"I'm sorry, I was... kind of busy." She lowered her gaze to her daughter and smiled. "How was your meeting with Dr. Hopper, sweetie?"

Emma's face fell as she entered in her house, leaving her backpack hanging on the rack. "It was as always, because..." Emma turned around and froze when she saw someone behind the kitchen counter. Someone she knew very well. "David, what are you doing here?"

"David?" Regina quickly came in the house, with a scowl on her face. She could hear Mary Margaret closed the door behind her. But Regina turned her gaze of the man to the table ready for dinner. And there were four dishes. This time they weren't going to dinner alone.

"I'm not going to explain it now." Mary Margaret whispered behind Regina. Regina gave her a meaningful look as she took off her coat and handed it to her.

"Yes, you will."

"Uh, hey Emma." David smiled approaching the girl. Regina turned to watch him and she could see the nervousness in him. An nervousness that she never saw whenever he was coming to greet Emma. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Emma shrugged, heading to the table and sitting down in a chair. "But what are you doing here?"

"He came to dinner with us." Mary Margaret said quickly after leaving Regina's coat on the coat rack. "Regina and I will bring dinner, you two can wait here."

Mary Margaret quickly took Regina's arm and both went into the kitchen, as the younger woman removed a tray of the refrigerator. Regina frowned watching her, hoping she would deign to speak. But Mary Margaret awkwardly placed the tray on the counter, and Regina could know that she was very nervous.

"Okay, can you tell me what's going on?" Regina said approaching a little closer.

Mary Margaret looked at the table, making sure that Emma was busy talking to David. "You know that he and Kathryn have long not being together..."

"They stopped living together for a month and a half Mary Margaret. They are not divorced." Regina frowned, totally annoying. "What the hell are you doing to bring a man to your home and present him to your daughter when he's not even single?"

"He will be." Mary Margaret said firmly. "He's a good man, Regina. We – we always..."

"Yeah, I know." Regina stepped shaking her head slightly.

"You knew that?" Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes in surprise. "Why do you never said anything?"

"Because I didn't want you to have hope of being with him." Regina snapped viciously, causing surprise and pain on her friend. "He's married, Mary Margaret."

"He doesn't love her."

"But he loves you?" She asked sarcastically, and Mary Margaret couldn't help looking at her coldly.

"Yes, he does." She took the tray. "Please, can you bring the orange juice?" And without another word, Mary Margaret moved toward the table.

"Of what are you two talking about?" She asked with some amusement, leaving the tray with spaghetti in the center of the table.

David smirked. "She was talking to me about her book." He returned his gaze to Emma, giving her a small smile. "Very interesting, by the way."

Emma looked at her mother and David exchanged glances for a few seconds. And then smiles. She frowned, not knowing why they were looking at each other that way. She knew they were friends, but their smiles were strange. She had never seen them smile at each other that way. Anyway, Regina approached the table with a jug of juice and left it on the table, causing them to return to reality.

"Can we eat now?" Emma asked with a small smile, feeling her stomach could start making noise. She was starving.

"Yeah, we can." Mary Margaret said taking a seat next to David, as Regina sat next to Emma and all of them began to eat slowly.

Emma ate in silence, but not pass unnoticed Regina's gaze to David. Her mom was eating, but every now and then she also looked at David, in a totally different way that Regina did. David seemed to be a little nervous, but she never knew why. When she was finishing her meal, she could see that her mom's left hand wasn't on the table. That was odd, because she always put her hands to her sides. But Emma turned her gaze to David, noticing that his right hand wasn't in sight, either.

Emma frowned, slightly confused. She took her fork and let it fall to the ground, feigning stupidity. "Uh, sorry!"

"Emma, go to change the fork." Her mother said, but she shook her head slightly.

"It's okay, I finished." Emma slowly reached down without getting up from the chair, but when she took her fork, she carefully lifted the tablecloth. And she saw it. Her mom and David were taking their hands under the table. And that could only mean one thing.

"Emma?" Regina whispered, helping her sit in the chair again. Emma placed her fork beside her plate, and stared at David, then to her mother.

They were together. She knew David wasn't with his wife; they were living in separate houses. And now David was with her mom. She liked David; he was very friendly, and he didn't treat her strangely when she told him about her book of fairy tales. But Emma had a dad, and when he returned from his trip, he, her mom, Regina and Emma would be all one family. She couldn't allow someone to replace her dad.

"David, I told you that my dad is making an important journey?" Emma said, trying to form a small smile. But she could see the discomfort in David's face, as in her mom's.

"Ohm, yeah, you did." He responded a little nervous, and Emma could see her mom's right hand back to where it always was.

"Yeah, well, I hope he comes back soon and you can come when he's here and eat with us, if you want." Emma said shrugging her shoulders slightly. She stared for a few seconds to Regina, noting that she was looking at her mom.

"I – I would love that, Emma. Thanks." David said with a small smile, but Emma didn't smile back.

"He'll be here, and we'll all be a family. My mom, my dad, Regina, and me." And then, she really smiled at the thought of what would be her real family. "You and he would be good friends, I think."

David looked at Mary Margaret uncomfortably, as the brunette sighed and looked at her daughter. "Emma, we – we should tell you something."

Emma remained silent, not knowing what to say. She didn't want to listen to what her mother would say, but she was going to say that. She frowned before her mother could speak, seeing how she looked at Regina for a moment and then to David. But eventually, her mom looked at her again.

"You know that David is no longer with his wife, right?" Mary Margaret asked gently, watching her daughter's eyes intently.

Emma swallowed starting to feel a lump in her throat and tears in her eyes. "I wanna go to my room." She whispered.

"Honey, I need you to listen to me and –"

"No!" Emma yelled getting up, startling every adult there. "You promised! You promised that when my dad comes back we would be a family!"

"Emma..." Regina tried to grab her arm to calm her, but the girl quickly walked away from her, turning her gaze to her mom.

"I don't want another dad." And letting the tears slide down her cheeks, she ran upstairs, entering her room and slamming the door behind her.

The atmosphere became very tense down there. Regina fixed her gaze on Mary Margaret, waiting to see her reaction. But she had her look at where Emma was sitting before, and her face was emotionless. She really was shocked. And Regina saw David take her hand and squeeze it slightly.

"Mary Margaret, I'm sorry..."

"Emma." Mary Margaret whispered, coming back to reality as the tears gathered in her eyes. "Emma!" She yelled getting up and running up the stairs to find her daughter.

"You should go." Regina got up and headed for the stairs, and to see that David didn't move from his place, she added. "Now, David."

"I – I didn't want this to happen like this." David whispered, getting up to go to the rack.

"Yeah, you should think things through before doing them." Regina said coldly.

David got his coat and looked at Mary Margaret, but she was too busy banging Emma's door, waiting for her daughter to open it. He sighed and left the house, causing Regina to turn around and climb the stairs until she stopped at Mary Margaret's side.

"She doesn't open the door..." Mary Margaret told her starting to hit the door again. "Emma, open the door!"

"Oh god, I knew this would happen." Regina whispered, shaking her head. She sighed and took Mary Margaret's hand for her to stop banging on the door. "Wait, I'll talk to her."

"I have to talk to her!" Mary Margaret said quickly.

"Yes, when she's not so mad at you." Regina replied, causing Mary Margaret could calm down a bit.

"Okay..." The brunette sighed, bringing a hand to her forehead. "Okay, but I need to talk to her."

"I know, but I don't think she wants to talk to you now."

"Yeah, thanks." Mary Margaret sighed and starting downs the stairs slowly.

Regina sighed and returned her gaze to Emma's room, slamming the door gently. "Emma? It's me, Regina. Can you open the door for me?"

"No, I don't want to talk to her!" Emma shouted from the other side.

"She's not here. Just let me in, okay?"

Regina waited a few seconds, until the door opened a crack and Emma's head peered slowly. The mayor quickly felt her heart break to see her face full of tears. But Emma looked around, noting that her mother wasn't on any side. She opened the door fully and Regina came in, leaving the girl shut the door behind her.

Regina turned around and had no time to say anything that Emma was clinging to her body, with her face buried in her stomach. "I want my dad."

"I know, dear. I know..." Regina whispered stroking her long blond hair and clutching her little body to hers. "Don't cry, you know I can't bear to see you cry."

"She doesn't love my dad. We can't be a family now." Emma whispered, breaking into tears again. Regina sighed and decided to lift her in her arms, although Emma was sufficiently large – and heavy – to be charged as a little girl. But Regina could continue seeing her as that little girl who always said _'Gina'_ with emotion.

"It's gonna be okay." The mayor whispered feeling Emma's head resting on her shoulder. She approached the bed and sat on it, sitting the girl in her lap although Emma continued clutching at her.

"No, it won't." Emma said, closing her eyes and letting more tears fall. "Everyone thinks I'm crazy, and now I'm not able to have my family."

"Don't say that." Regina moved her away to take her chin and make her eyes look at her. "Your mother is your family, I'm your family. You're never going to lose that."

"And what about my dad? He won't be happy when he comes and he finds that Mom has another boyfriend." Regina quickly saw her eyes filled with terror. "And I don't want him to leave again. I want my parents to be together!"

Regina sighed, listening Emma's words. She was suffering for something that would never happen. Her father didn't exist, or maybe yes, but he had left her alone in the woods. That man didn't deserve Emma's tears. "Emma, when you're older you'll understand."

"No, I'll never want another dad."

The girl crouched at her body and hid her face in her neck, as Regina surrounded her body by her arms and rested her chin on Emma's head. After a moment, she could feel Emma's breathing be slow, so she lowered her eyes to find her completely asleep, but with a scowl on her face. Carefully, Regina placed in bed and got up without making any noise. She came at Emma's face and kissed her forehead before leaving the room.

"How's she?" Mary Margaret quickly asked to see her down the stairs. Regina shook her head slightly and sighed.

"She fell asleep, but you can't keep hiding the truth." Mary Margaret frowned, totally confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Emma. And from where she comes." Mary Margaret sighed, sinking into a chair, again.

"Regina, we've already talked about this. We had a deal. When she is older..."

"No, it has to be now. She'll be waiting all her life for a person that it will never come. She's suffering a lot about that."

"What?" Mary Margaret stood up quickly. "What's it that she said?"

"She wants her parents together. She doesn't want another dad." Regina snorted in frustration. "She's really suffering, Mary Margaret, you can't..."

"And you've been thinking how she will suffer if she find out the truth now? She will suffer even more. And she's still very young." Mary Margaret said, crossing her arms, and feeling very guilty for causing her daughter's tears. But she knew that Emma would suffer a lot more if she found out that she was adopted.

"So, she's going to suffer waiting for a father who will never come back." Regina crossed her arms with some anger. "Because he doesn't exist."

"He does exist, but..."

"But you don't even know him. Look," Regina sighed, uncrossing her arms. "If you don't want to tell her because you think she's going to hate you, she couldn't do it if she finds out about everything."

"Oh, Regina, it's not about that!" Mary Margaret said annoyed. "I don't want my daughter to know that she's adopted because she will suffer to know that..."

"I'm what?" Emma's voice reached their ears. Both women turned to see the girl standing in the middle of the stairs, with her hand on the railing. She dropped a few more steps at their astonished eyes although she set her eyes on her mom. "You're not – you're not my real mom."

"Emma, no..." Mary Margaret tried to say with the small voice that she had. She couldn't believe this was happening. Regina changed her look from Emma at Mary Margaret, and then to the girl again.

"Don't lie to me!" Emma said firmly, trying to keep her strong face. But she was just a girl; her lips trembled and her green eyes were full of tears. "I know what it means to be adopted. I'm adopted? Is that true?"

Mary Margaret began to feel the panic get to her. She could know that Regina was to her side, and she wanted the mayor could say anything, or find her look to see what was what she had to say, but she couldn't take her eyes of her daughter.

Her baby girl.

She had always known that at some point the time would came, but she didn't expect everything to be so soon. She didn't want that, she didn't want Emma could hate her, and even worse, she could suffer because of that. She would suffer when she finds out that her parents left her in the woods.

But Emma's eyes were requesting it. She was asking for the truth, and now she couldn't go back. If she lied, then everything would become worse because she couldn't keep the truth from her forever.

"Yes." Mary Margaret found her voice although it was totally broken. "Yes, it is true."

Emma gasped in surprise. She had been hoping that she had heard wrong, but that was true. Her mom wasn't really her mom. She had another mother, and another father. This wasn't her true life. She should be with her real parents... but who were they? Where were they? And why they weren't with her? She returned her gaze to her mom and couldn't help but think of her as her mother. But she had lied to her. All her life. Shifting her gaze to Regina, Emma knew that she had done it as well. She had been betrayed by the two people she loved most in the world.

But it was all a lie. Mary Margaret was not her mother; she had lied to her all her life as Regina did.

"Where are they?" Emma whispered, lowering her gaze to the ground, hoping that this time they could tell her the truth. She waited seconds for the answer, but nobody answered. She lifted her head to stare this time at Mary Margaret's eyes. "My parents. Where are they?"

Mary Margaret felt as if a knife penetrated her heart. Her daughter wanted to know where her real parents were, and maybe she would go to look for them. And maybe she would find them, and would rather stay with them. "I – I don't know."

"Why I am not with them?" Emma said quickly, wiping the tears from her cheeks. Regina looking at Mary Margaret sighed, knowing that the time to tell the whole truth had arrived. "Why they gave me up?"

Regina saw Emma's eyes filled with pain. She was suffering, but after hearing this, she would suffer even more. But Regina wasn't expected Mary Margaret's answer. "They wanted to give you your best chance."

Regina quickly frowned, staring at Mary Margaret. She was hoping that the brunette could look into her eyes and try to tell her with her look what the hell she was doing, but Mary Margaret didn't move her eyes from Emma.

"Of course they did." Emma said, and Regina turned her gaze to her. And now she could see her green eyes full of hurt, disappointment and anger. "So I'm wrong. You're not Snow White."

"Emma..." Regina whispered, unable to believe that she was learning that she was adopted but she had taken time to think about those stupid fairy tales. "This is serious."

"I know." Emma said moving her gaze to her. And Regina was surprised to see that she was angry with her as well. "They wanted to give me my best chance. And I'm gonna find them."

_"We have to believe that she'll come back for us." Snow told at Prince Charming, despite baby Emma's crying. "We have to give her her best chance."_

Emma clenched her fists, remembering that part of the book. She had always thought that somehow she had come to her mother again, but she was wrong. Her mother was waiting for her elsewhere, and she should find her. And she, her mother and her father could be happy.

"Emma..." Emma raised her head to hear her mom's voice. She would find her parents, but when she finds them, what would happen to her mom? Or with Regina? They had lied to her. Maybe they had their own families but they didn't remember them because of the curse.

"No. You lied to me." Emma said, feeling the sadness back to her. She turned her gaze to Regina. "Both of you." And she turned her gaze to Mary Margaret, knowing she should say these words only to her, because only she had been the one who had claimed to be her mother. "I hate you." Emma spat angrily, furrowing her brow. "And I will find my parents, and I'll be happy with them because you two are liars!" She screamed before turning around and running upstairs, and then locked in her room again.

Regina felt her eyes fill with tears at the girl's words. She practically had said that when she finds her parents she was going to break away from them. But the truth was that maybe she would never find them, because they didn't even want her. But now Emma hated them because Mary Margaret had told her another lie.

"What –" Regina cleared her throat and turned to watch a shocked Mary Margaret. "Why did you say that?"

"I – I didn't want her heart broken again." Mary Margaret said still shocked, with her eyes on the ground and a scowl on her face. "I didn't want her to suffer."

"But now she hates you. And when she finds these idiots, she's going to get away from us." Mary Margaret met her gaze, and Regina could see what she was missing. She had not even shed a tear.

"Yes..." Mary Margaret whispered, her voice cracking. "Now for her I'm not her mother."

Regina stepped closer to her to see her falter. But Mary Margaret grabbed a chair and clung to it, closing her eyes. And the mayor could know at that time that she really wasn't ready for that Emma knew the truth. She knew all the time that she would say that to Emma, and because of that, Emma would hate her instead of hating them who truly deserved her hatred. And that was because she didn't want her finding out the truth. She never would tell Emma that she was abandoned in the forest for the simple fact that she didn't want to break her heart more.

Regina sighed, thinking how Emma was wrong. Mary Margaret was indeed her mother. She was putting her before her own feelings. And she knew then that she could do the same. She could bear Emma's hate if it meant that she wouldn't suffer because of her parents.

Mary Margaret sat in a chair and let out her tears. Regina approached her and sat in front of her, stretching her hand to grab Mary Margaret's hand. Both of them were willing to bear Emma's hatred, but that didn't take away the fact that it was totally painful.

* * *

**I think this is the longest chapter I've done here, haha. I didn't know whether to leave it when Emma found out she was adopted, but then I had another thought.**

**So... what do you think about this? I mean, we all know that Mary Margaret is really Emma's mother, but they don't know it... and now Emma now she has other parents to find.**

**She believes in the curse, and if you're wondering if she knows who is Regina, I think in the next chapter you'll know. But how long Emma will believe in the curse? Oh...**

**Well, I can't wait to see your opinions! Let me know what you think about this chapter, please? :)**

**Sorry if there's grammatical errors!**

**And of course, thanks for reading. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

Emma opened her eyes, a little confused. She felt as if she had slept for a long time, but that probably wasn't possible. Letting out a yawn, the girl rolled over in her bed to look at the clock on the bedside table.

8.50 am.

Emma frowned as she sat quickly. She should have woken up to go to school... but her mother hadn't woken her. Emma sighed, wondering if it was right for her to continue calling her mother, her mother. She wanted that what she had discovered the night before had been a dream, but it wasn't. She had to find her real parents, Snow White and Prince Charming. They probably wouldn't remember her, but when she could break the curse, they would, and they would be a happy family.

But what would happen to Mary Margaret and Regina? She loved them, but they had lied to her. And with a true and terrible lie. She couldn't forgive them so easily.

Clearing her mind of thoughts, Emma got up and dressed in her normal clothes, knowing that she probably wouldn't go to school that day. She opened her door slowly, not wanting to know if her mother was awake. Maybe she had fallen asleep, too. Emma closed the door carefully behind her and started down the stairs slowly. When she reached the bottom step, she looked around.

Her mother wasn't in her room, but she wasn't even in the kitchen. She probably should be in the bathroom. And Emma knew it was her chance to go and start looking for her parents. She went to the door and grabbed the doorknob.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret said behind her, and Emma sighed releasing the doorknob. "Where do you think you were going?" The girl clenched her jaw and turned to see her mother with her arms crossed and her hard stare.

"I was about to go find my parents, thank you very much for stopping me." Emma said as she turned around to grab her bag from the rack. Then she went to the couch and sat on it, taking her book off her backpack.

"Emma, we need to talk." She heard her mother say as she placed her book in her lap. She opened the book to the page that Snow White and Prince Charming met. "Emma, I'm serious." Her mom sat at her side, but Emma decided to turn a deaf ear to her words.

"I can't now..." The girl whispered, her eyes fixed on the page, trying to find some clue as to where her parents could be. But the book quickly disappeared from her sight, and she raised her eyes to see her mother taking the book. "I need it; there may be a clue to guide me to them!"

"No, you have to listen to me now."

Emma sighed, giving herself up. But she was still very angry with her mother, so she looked at her green eyes and frowned. "Why should I listen to you? I don't know if what you're saying is a lie, because you lied to me all my life."

"I'm so sorry." Mary Margaret said leaving the book on the little table in front of them. She sighed slightly and turned her attention to her daughter. "Emma, I know I should have told you this before but... but I didn't want you to suffer."

"I'm not suffering." Emma said resting her back on the back of the sofa. "I am very angry. And I am angrier now because you don't want me to find my parents!"

Mary Margaret was silent at that. She didn't want say more lies, so she didn't want say that she wanted her daughter find her real parents, because that would be a lie. Her biological parents had abandoned her in the forest, and obviously she didn't want her to find them because her little heart would break at their rejection. Of course she didn't want her to find them. But she couldn't say that to her daughter; Emma would take it otherwise.

"Emma, I'm sorry I lied to you." Mary Margaret began, staring at her daughter's eyes. "I'm really sorry, but... I love you. I just wanted the best for you, and I thought you were still too young to know about that."

"You lied to me about my parents, about my dad. You told me he was on a trip... and you made me look like a fool, because I told everyone that... and all of them knew I was adopted."

"They didn't see you as a fool, what are you saying? None of them did. I – I just wanted..." A couple of shots of the door were heard, and Mary Margaret sighed, shaking her head slightly.

Emma frowned looking at the door and then returning her gaze to her mother. "It's David, right?" She got up quickly and started toward the stairs. "I don't want to see him,"

"It's not David." Mary Margaret said without moving from her place. "Go and open the door."

Emma stopped on her way to the stairs and hissed heading towards the door. When she opened it, she continued with her serious face to see who it was. "Hi, Emma." Regina said with a small smile.

"I don't want to see her, either." Emma said before turning around and running up the stairs. Regina entered the apartment and closed the door behind her, looking at the girl.

"Emma, wait!" Regina said quickly. The girl just stood in the middle of the stairs, and turned to look at Regina with her tired face. "You should talk to us. You can't be angry with us forever."

"Why not?" Emma said without taking her eyes off her. "When I find my parents, I will be with them and..."

"You'll never find them!" Regina said having enough of listening Emma talk so lovingly about the people who had left her in the woods to die. But Mary Margaret quickly stood up from the couch, closing in on them.

"Regina!" She said looking at the brunette. "You can't say that to her."

Emma pressed her lips, and stared at Regina as she descended a few steps of the staircase. When she was in the last step, she looked at Regina up and down, and then she returned her gaze to her eyes. "I thought you weren't her, because I thought my mom was Snow White, and you two are best friends, so you couldn't be her... but now I can see it." Emma took a breath before continuing. "You are the Evil Queen."

"Emma, you can't keep thinking that we are all fairy tale characters. The Evil Queen? I'm not evil!" Regina quickly snapped, angry and hurt that this little girl that she loved might think she was evil.

"Surely you pretended to love me all this time to make sure that I can't break your curse, but I'm gonna do it! My mother will have her happy ending!"

"Emma, enough!" Mary Margaret said by sticking against her daughter and taking her gently by her arms. "You can't keep saying those things. This is the real world. And you can't say that Regina doesn't love you because everyone here knows that's not true."

"I don't know who you are." Emma said getting rid of her mother's grip. "Maybe you're one of her allies. Maybe you two are evil... I don't care what you say; I know I'm going to bring back the happy endings!" She turned and ran up the stairs, entering her room and closing the door hard behind her.

"She's worse." Regina said as Mary Margaret got up, touching her forehead. "This is very dangerous, Mary Margaret. What if she does something dangerous trying to prove that the curse exists? We can't let something happen to her."

"I know, I know..." Mary Margaret said, dropping into a chair. "But I don't know what more do."

"You should tell her what kind of person are her parents, for one." Regina said, sitting down in a chair across from her. "That way she will see that the world is not a fairy tale."

"So, I have to break her heart for her to see reality? That is illogical." Mary Margaret snapped getting up and heading towards her kitchen.

"Illogical? Illogical is that she thinks that I am the Evil Queen and the whole town is cursed for me!" Regina got up and followed Mary Margaret's steps. "You must tell her the truth."

"No, no..." Mary Margaret sighed giving herself around to find Regina's eyes. "Just – just let time pass."

"And as time goes on what can we do? See how she despises us because she thinks we're evil characters in fairy tales?"

"She'll get through this." Mary Margaret whispered with her eyes on the stairs. "I know she will."

Emma lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Maybe she was right. _Surely_ she was right. Regina was the Evil Queen, and her mother was an accomplice to her. Maybe they both were raising her all this time to make sure she couldn't break the curse. But that wouldn't happen. She was going to do, because she was the savior. But she had to get rid of them to do so.

Jumping from her bed, Emma went to her closet and opened it, pulling out a bag of it. She threw the bag on the floor as she ran to her dresser and opened the drawer, pulling out the clothes she wore more and throwing them inside the bag. When she finished packing her clothes in the bag, she walked over to the closet, and knelt in front of it, taking her baby blanket that was in the background.

Her baby blanket. That was several nights had calmed her from the storm, although she often slipped away in her mother's bed, but always with her baby blanket. And she always thought her mother had made this blanket for her, but she was wrong about that, too. It was Snow White who had made this blanket for her. And she should keep it, because that was all she had of her real parents. So, carefully, Emma put her blanket in her bag and closed closure.

She ran to her trunk full of toys and opened it, beginning to stir all the toys to find what she was looking for. Among many toys she found her favorite stuffed animal; a swan. With a smile, Emma took the bear and placed it on the ground, returning to find what she was looking for. And she reached the bottom of the trunk, finding what she needed. A long rope.

"Yep!" Emma smiled pulling the long rope from the trunk. She took the stuffed swan and put it in her bag. She got up again and walked to the foot of her bed, tying the rope there. Then the girl took the rope and slipped it out of the window, making sure the rope was long enough to reach the ground. And it was.

Emma turned and walked over to her bag, taking it and hanging it on her shoulder. It was heavy, but she should get used to the weight because she was going to feel it for a long time. She started walking towards the window, but she couldn't help but look at her nightstand. There was a photograph that Ruby had taken on her eighth birthday. She was with her mom and Regina in front of her birthday cake, and the three of them were smiling... happily.

Emma's eyes quickly filled with tears, but she decided to keep walking. Even when she was at the window, she heard a strange noise, like something was breaking. She lowered her eyes quickly, noting that she had not stepped on anything, but when she stepped back and again in the same place, the noise continued.

"What..." Emma whispered kneeling on the floor, watching the delicate wood. She frowned gently touching the floor until she found a small hole, as if a piece of wood could be removed. "What's that?" Emma whispered again placing her finger on the opening and beginning to gently pull the timber.

Suddenly, Emma had managed to get a piece of wood from the ground. She opened her mouth a little surprised, and put her hand into the deep hole that was there. Her fingers began to probe what was there, until she found something like a small bag. Emma took that hard and pulled it out of the hole, noting that it was a small clear bag that had papers inside.

"Regina, she needs time!" Emma didn't know why, but she heard her mother say from downstairs. The girl quickly put the small bag in her bag and was placed on the edge of the window, starting to hold on to the rope and lower it slowly.

"Mary Margaret!" Emma heard Regina scream, and she assumed that the mayor was in her room, watching the rope that slid off the window. But Emma started down the rope faster, fearing that they could somehow stop her. "Emma!" Emma raised her head slightly, watching Regina in the window, with her eyes full of concern. It was within seconds that her mother appeared at her side.

"Emma, what are you doing?!" Her mom screamed and then disappeared from her sight. And Emma knew that she had left the house to go and find her.

"Emma, stop it! You can't run away!" Regina screamed even from the window, watching the girl coming down increasingly fast. "You're gonna hurt yourself!"

"No!" Emma shouted jumping down once she was close enough. She wouldn't even look at Regina because if she did, she could lose time and let her mother find her. All that Emma could do was start running away from there.

"Emma!" Emma heard Regina scream one last time.

* * *

Mary Margaret walked quickly through the streets, looking around, hoping to see her daughter somewhere. She and Regina had starting to look for her to five minutes ago, but they had not yet been able to find her. Regina had already warned Graham about that Emma had ran away, and the sheriff was in his patrol driving around town looking for the girl, but he couldn't find her, either.

Mary Margaret had her face filled with tears while Regina tried to hold her tears, trying to not look weak before all the people, but she was as worried as Mary Margaret was. The little girl had fled, and who knows where she might be. Or if a crazy person could kidnap her, or if she could hurt herself. But Regina was sure it was not all about the "hate" that Emma had for them, all that was probably about the curse that the girl had in her mind.

"Oh my God, where's she?" Mary Margaret whispered over and over to herself, but Regina could hear her clearly.

"She - she's not a silly girl, she won't do anything stupid." Regina muttered, trying to calm Mary Margaret, but she didn't believe her own words. Emma wasn't a silly girl, she was smart enough to her age, but since the curse had come to her mind she couldn't think anything but that. And maybe she had done something stupid to prove that the curse existed.

"This is all my fault..." Mary Margaret whispered, dropping into a bank. She was exhausted from walking, and she would walk more to find her daughter, but she was very scared. Emma had never fled. And Mary Margaret couldn't think of anything but Emma in somewhere dangerous or in a dangerous situation.

"Mary Margaret, this is not your fault." Regina said, sitting down across from her and touching her arm, trying to calm her. They had to keep looking for her, but she also knew she couldn't let Mary Margaret continue that way because both of them had to think clearly where Emma could be. "You must calm down."

"I can not! My daughter ran away, Regina!" Mary Margaret snapped impatiently, and Regina just took her hand away from Mary Margaret's arm. The school teacher quickly noticed her tone of voice and shook her head slightly. "I'm sorry, I'm really nervous..."

"I know, but you should keep quiet. You've called David for him to try to get her, too?" Regina said. She didn't like David. She didn't know why, but she couldn't think of David, Mary Margaret and Emma as a family. But now he was necessary, it was necessary that many people are looking for the girl, that way someone would find her faster.

"No, no... I - I'm going to do it." She quickly pulled out her cell phone and dialed David's number as she put her phone in her ear. She waited a few seconds until David's voice reached her ear.

_"Mary Margaret..."_

"David, Emma ran away. This has nothing to do with us, she knows now that she's adopted and she's very upset but she ran away! And I don't know what to do, can you help me look for her?" Mary Margaret said quickly and totally nervous.

_"Uh, Mary Margaret... I'm in the hospital. Kathryn had an accident when she wanted to leave the town." David said with a sigh. "I would like to help, I really do. But – but I can't get out of here... she's serious."_

Mary Margaret groaned in surprise, but she decided to keep her surprise to herself. "Oh, I'm sorry... I hope she is well soon."

_"Yeah, and I know you'll find Emma." He sighed again. "But keep me posted, I want to know about her. Just call me when you find her, okay?"_

"Yeah, I'll keep looking. I'll call you later." And without another word, Mary Margaret hung up the call and put her phone in her pocket, looking intently at Regina. "I think I have an idea where she might be."

"Where?" Regina quickly said somewhat surprised.

"She always stayed on two theories about the curse." Mary Margaret said getting up and starting to walk, with Regina at her side. "That time was frozen here, and every time someone tried to leave the town something bad happened. She always said she was the only one growing up because she was saved from the curse, and that therefore she would be the only one who could leave town."

Regina frowned, looking at Mary Margaret as both of them continued to walk quickly. "You think she's leaving town?"

"Yes." Mary Margaret said quickly. "She always wanted to go there to prove to us that she was right, but I never let her do it." And she set her eyes on Regina. "She must be there."

* * *

Emma sighed coming to Storybrooke's exit sign. She knew that if she left the town and then she could go back, it was because she was completely certain about the curse. She had no doubt, but that way she could live somewhere outside of Storybrooke, and only come back when she would have some sure where her parents could be. Taking courage, Emma walked a bit more, but before she could go after Storybrooke's sign, she remembered what she had in her bag.

The girl sat on the floor and placed her bag to her side and began to open it and removing the papers she had found. Surely her mother had saved those papers, and maybe they had something to do with her. She had no idea what it could be, but she was interested. And she was more interested when she saw her name on the paper.

"Emma?" Emma narrowed her eyes and took the roles of the small bag, starting to try to read what there saying. The letters were somewhat blurred, and the paper was completely spent, as if there from to time. Emma began to read the paragraph that could be better read. "Emma - new born. New Adoptive Mother: Mary Margaret Blanchard." She frowned, quickly. "Biological Mother: not found. Biological Father: not found." She rolled her eyes, knowing that this was impossible. Her parents didn't remember her; it was obvious that they couldn't know about her. "Baby Emma was found in the middle of the forest, abandoned by her parents who left her there with nothing but a baby blanket. She's a healthy baby girl, though." Emma wasn't surprised at this, though she felt a slight sadness about 'abandoned by her parents.' But she continued reading. "Her parents' names are not revealed, but they made it clear they want nothing to do with the baby. They lived in Storybrooke, but when the baby was born, they left her abandoned in the woods and ran away."

Emma felt her eyes fill with tears, but she tried not to think about it. This surely was a product of the curse. They wanted her to believe that her parents didn't want her, but there was no evidence she had been born in Storybrooke, because that had not happened that way. She was born in The Enchanted Forest. There was no way anyone could testify that she was born in that town, when that wasn't the truth. But Emma turned her gaze to the small bag, noting that there was another paper. She took that paper and unlike the other, this one it could clearly read what it said.

"Sex: Female. Weight: 5.5 lbs. Height: 45 cm." Emma frowned she was unable to read it. That was not possible. She raised her eyes a little and looked at the title that had the document. "Storybrooke Hospital."

Emma kept the papers in the small bag, and looked beyond Storybrooke's sign. She was smart enough to know that if the papers said that it was because it really had been so. She had been born in Storybrooke, because her birth certificate was in there. She didn't understand the other things it said in the papers, but she understood something.

Her real parents abandoned her in the forest. They didn't want her. They weren't the adorable Snow White and Prince Charming. And above all, she wasn't the savior of any curse because the curse didn't exist. She quickly realized that the curse couldn't be because she wasn't the savior, and that she was wrong.

Happy endings didn't exist.

Her parents didn't want her. She wasn't a savior; she was a little girl who even her parents didn't want to keep her. They left her in the woods with nothing but a blanket. Emma set her eyes on the bag and slowly pulled her baby blanket from there. Her name was embroidered there, like it was embroidered with gentleness and love. Maybe her real mother had embroidered so, but she had been abandoned her in the woods, anyway. Maybe they always knew that they didn't want her and they wanted her to keep some of them.

She wanted nothing more that blanket, but she couldn't throw it away. No matter if it was something of her real parents; she would keep it because that blanket always had given her security and tranquility. But maybe that was because she always believed that her mother had made it for her.

Her mom. Regina. They weren't fairy tale characters, they weren't evil. She had hurt them with her words about who they were wicked, and she had run away from them, thinking that she would be better with her real parents than with them. And that was something that couldn't happen. She was very wrong. She shouldn't hate her mom and Regina; she should hate her biological parents.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret cried at the sight of her daughter sitting in front of Storybrooke's poster. She inspected with her look every part of her daughter, trying to see if she was hurt somewhere. But she wasn't. And Mary Margaret took a breath, slowly approaching at her. "Emma..."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Emma asked, her eyes on her mother, trying to keep her voice steady. She already had tears all over her face, but she didn't want her voice would break.

"What – what are you talking about?" Mary Margaret asked carefully, ending close to her. She crouched in front of her daughter and looked at the papers that the girl had at her side. Mary Margaret instantly recognized those papers.

Regina took a few steps toward them, crouching in front of Emma's bag. She could see the adoption papers as well, and she understood perfectly what Emma meant. She certainly had discovered that her parents abandoned her in the forest.

"Emma..." Mary Margaret said with a sigh, trying to find the words to try to comfort her little girl. Her face was full of tears, but Emma's eyes were what were breaking Mary Margaret's heart. She had never seen her girl's eyes so full of sadness.

"They didn't want me." Emma whispered, turning her gaze to her blanket and clutching her fingers to her. "I am nothing."

"What are you saying?" Mary Margaret moved a little closer to her and took her chin, lifting her head to look at her eyes. "I don't want to hear you say that again. You're a beautiful girl, very smart for your own good, you are brave, generous, friendly, and you are everything in my life. Don't you ever say that again."

"But – but if I wasn't good enough for my own parents..." She pursed her lips, trying to keep her tears in check, but that was almost impossible. "I won't be good enough for anyone. Never."

"No." Regina stepped in, gaining Emma's look. "You can't say that. You're good enough for me. From the moment I held you in my arms, I knew you were different... nobody never meant so much to me as much as you mean to me." Regina sighed, shaking her head slightly. "And believe me, I was never a very good woman... but you bring out the best in me. You are special."

"I'm not special," Emma said firmly and with a scowl on her face.

"Yes you are." Mary Margaret took her little hand and squeezed slightly. "You manage to get a smile on anyone. You even did that with Mr. Gold, you remember that?" She tried to smile, but Emma smiled slightly, nodding. "You're very special, Emma."

"And you shouldn't even think about those two idiots." Regina said, shaking her nose in disgust. "They have no idea the beautiful girl they are missing."

Emma smiled a little more, and changed her look from Regina to her mom. "So… you don't hate me?"

"What? Of course not. I could never hate you." Emma shifted her gaze to Regina, quickly.

"Me neither… ever."

Emma felt her lip tremble as she tried to look at both women. "Can you promise that you're never gonna leave me?"

"We promise." Mary Margaret and Regina said quickly. Emma giggled; many times without realizing they were saying the same thing at the same time.

"I'm sorry that I ran away." Emma quickly went to her mother and clung to her, hugging her tightly as Mary Margaret wrapped her arms around her daughter's body. "I love you, Mom."

Mary Margaret smiled with relief, knowing that that was all she needed. She would have hoped that Emma wouldn't have to have gone through all that suffering, but she really needed to hear those words from her little girl. "I love you more," She whispered, pressing a kiss to her blonde head.

Emma grinned and opened her eyes to find Regina's eyes. She turned away from her mother and went to her, circling her neck by her arms and resting her head on her shoulder. "I love you Gina."

Regina smiled broadly. As Emma grew, she stopped calling her 'Gina', but there were times she did as she knew that if she said that she could take anything from her. "I love you too, Emma."

Emma turned away from her watching Mary Margaret kept the papers in her bag. Her mom took her bag and got up, as Regina got up taking her hand. Emma clang to Regina's hand, but her other hand clutched to her baby blanket, watching her name embroidered on it.

Maybe her parents didn't want her. But now she was grateful that they didn't raise her, because maybe they would have raised her without love. And maybe now she didn't believe in happy endings, or curses, witches, or saviors... but she believed in her mom and Regina's love. And that was all she needed.

* * *

**Hello everyone! I'm sorry that I didn't thanked review by review, but I'm really tired, but I just wanted to finish this chapter. And I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Now, Emma doesn't believe in the curse because she thinks her parents abandoned her, and so she now doesn't believe in happy endings, or in the curse. And I'm very anxious to start the next chapter because I waited for it since this story began, I think. All I can say is that Emma is going to be fifteen years. And now, you can draw a conclusion of what may happen in the next chapter... although that will be the beginning of everything. Oh, well, I almost said everything. :P**

**Hope you liked this chapter! Please, leave me a review to see what you think?**

**I'm sorry if there were grammatical errors!**

**And thank you for reading! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Fluff of Regina/Emma, and this chapter's more focus on Regina although is Emma's birthday. You'll see. I was waiting for this chapter since the beginning, and I really hope y'all like it.**

* * *

Emma looked at her wristwatch. She sighed and began walking down the pavement, with her hands in the pockets of her jacket and her bag slung on her shoulder. She didn't need to be carried anywhere, she was already old enough for anyone to have to take her somewhere with its cars. She could do it on her own, but her mom's eyes – not to mention Regina's – could see evil everywhere, so they tried to look out for her of everything. But she was fifteen.

Actually, she was turning that day fifteen years. But no one seemed to have remembered it. She wasn't surprised about her classmates, but she was surprised – and hurt – about her mom and Regina. Every year she opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the two of them, her mom with a big chocolate cake in her hands. But this year she opened her eyes and she couldn't find anyone. She even had gone downstairs to find a note from her mother, saying she had had to leave early because her students were making a volcano and she should be in school earlier. Oh, and her breakfast was in the fridge.

Nowhere said "Happy Birthday."

She breakfasted alone in her house, waiting for a call from her mother, or Regina, but no one called. She went to her school, and her morning was quite normal, until an hour before being out of school, she received a text message from Regina.

_"Emma, wait at the school gate, I'll pick you up."_

Emma was a little surprised at this, because she always addressed to her mom's classroom for the two of them were together at their home, but this time it seemed that she shouldn't go there. But she was also hurt by Regina's message. No happy birthday for her part, either.

Emma was sure that was the worst birthday of her life. She didn't know why or how her mother or Regina could have forgotten her birthday.

Emma quickly was startled by the sound of a car horn. She stood in her place and turned to see Regina's car parked on the street in front of her. Emma rolled her eyes and looked around before getting in the car.

"Why didn't you wait at the door of the school?" Regina said with complete concern that Emma had to roll her eyes, knowing that she probably had thought that she had been assaulted, or kidnapped. Storybrooke was a safe town; she didn't know why her mother or she were so overprotective.

"I got tired of waiting." Emma whispered, sliding into the seat and turning her gaze to the window.

"I was five minutes late, Emma." Regina said turning over the car engine and beginning to handle. Emma frowned, waiting for her to realize what kind of day it was, but Regina was silent. So Emma turned her gaze to her.

"Why you had to pick me up? What happened to my mom?"

"She's fine, she just had to stay a little later for her students, she didn't say so much." Regina said casually as she kept her gaze forward.

"So... you're not going to ask how I was in school?" Emma asked a little confused. Everyday Regina wanted to be aware of how she was doing in school.

"Oh, I thought you were old enough for me to want to know everything about you." Regina said trying to imitate Emma's voice, causing a small smile on Emma's face. She could remember her discussion with Regina about she was old enough for some things.

"I am. More than ever." Emma said, trying to get it out enough so that the mayor could realize what day it was, but Regina just shrugged.

"You're not old enough for some things, though."

Emma frowned as her eyes filled with tears. She decided to keep her lips together so the tears couldn't get out, but she knew that sometime tears would be out. She could see that Regina was taking the direction to go to City Hall, and she didn't really want anyone see her tears.

"I don't want to go to your office."

"It's a little boring, but your mother..."

"I don't care what she said, I want to go home."

Regina stopped the car a few blocks before the City Hall and turned to Emma to see her more clearly. "Emma, I told you I don't like you take that tone with me."

"And I don't like that you forget my birthday." Emma muttered to herself even with her eyes on the window.

Regina frowned unable to hear Emma's words. "What?"

"That I don't want to go to your office." Emma murmured higher. Regina sighed and placed in her position again, starting the engine. She took her wheel and began to drive again.

"Alright, we have to go to Granny's anyway."

Emma frowned and shook her gaze to her. "Why?"

"Because you need to have lunch." Regina said quickly, turning her steering wheel to one side.

Emma sighed but said nothing else in all the way. When Regina parked her car in front of Granny's and both of them came out of it, Emma went to Granny's but Regina quickly took her arm.

"You're mad at me for some reason?"

"No, why should I be mad at you?" Emma said getting rid of her grip and began to walk to Granny's. Regina walked at her side.

"I don't know, you've been very quiet, and..." Regina opened the door of Granny's as Emma rolled her eyes and sighed.

"It's what I do when no one remembers my birthday, sorry."

Emma looked ahead to see a few people in the center of Granny's, but mainly she set her eyes on the person who was in the center with a cake in her hands. It was her mother. And with a cake. Emma smiled slightly as she turned her gaze to a poster that hung behind the bar.

_'Happy Birthday, Emma.'_

"You really think we could we forget your birthday?" Regina said at her side and with a small smile. Emma looked at her totally shocked, realizing what had happened. None of them had greeted for her birthday because they were planning a surprise party.

"You..." Emma began shifting her gaze from Regina to her mother. Mary Margaret left the cake at Ruby's hands and started walk toward her. "I couldn't believe you've gone to work without saying Happy Birthday to me."

"I'm sorry, but I really want to do this." Mary Margaret said with a small smile.

"What? Making me angry and hurt me?" Emma joked with her eyebrows raised and an amused smile.

"No, surprising you." Mary Margaret replied taking her daughter and wrapping her by her arms tightly. Emma sighed and clutched at her mother resting her chin on her shoulder. "Happy Birthday, my baby girl."

"Oh Mom, I'm fifteen years." Emma whispered, pulling away from her a little embarrassed. Mary Margaret smiled widely and took her face in her hands. And Emma could see the tears in her mother's eyes. "Are you about to cry? Please, no. You did that last year."

Mary Margaret laughed slightly and shook her head. "You've grown so much." Emma smirked as she moved to a side to let Regina could embrace her.

"You acted as if you didn't remember my birthday!" Emma complained staring at Regina's eyes. "You are a good actress, I must say."

"Thanks." Regina said approaching her and hugging her tightly. "But you know I could never to overlook your birthday. Happy Birthday, my girl."

"Thank you, Gina." Emma whispered slightly, not wanting anyone except her could hear that word. Regina moved away from her and looked at her with a big smile.

"To make things clear, all this was your mother's idea."

Emma laughed, letting out a small sigh. "I know."

Regina ran to one side so that Emma could be greeted by other people. She came at Mary Margaret and stood at her side as she saw who was going to greet Emma. The first was David, and Regina couldn't help but divert her gaze to Mary Margaret.

Her green eyes were shining watching that man with her daughter. Regina sighed, knowing Mary Margaret's feelings for him. When Kathryn had that accident in wanting to leave town, she lost her memory, and David had no choice but to stay at her side. That devastated Mary Margaret. And Regina wanted to kill him to see for caused so much suffering in her best friend, but she couldn't do anything else to be there for Mary Margaret. And until today that Regina couldn't let go of her indifference to David, but Mary Margaret still had feelings for him, though she said otherwise.

David turned away from Emma and Regina saw Kathryn approach at Emma, and could see from the corner of her eye to Mary Margaret divert her gaze. Kathryn was her friend, but everyone knew how close they were Mary Margaret and her after so many years, so Kathryn didn't talk much about David with her. And Regina couldn't be more grateful. She just didn't want him, because he had done suffer Mary Margaret, but also because he claimed to love her but he had chosen to stay with Kathryn when she could have been left alone anyway. But he told Mary Margaret that he knew it was the right thing he should do.

Regina rolled her eyes at the thought that David thought he was a prince who had to do the right things. That was nonsense. And the worst of it was that she could see his eyes towards Mary Margaret when she wasn't paying attention and had her eyes on him, too. He seemed to always want to go talk to her, but he never did anything else to look at her from afar.

Anyway, Regina never liked the couple that David and Mary Margaret were doing.

"You think she liked it?" Mary Margaret asked her watching Emma be greeted by Graham.

"Yeah, I think she loved it after thinking that no one had remembered her birthday."

"Oh, don't mention it. I can imagine her waking up alone on her birthday. My baby." She sighed.

Regina chuckled. "She's no longer a baby, you know?" Mary Margaret faked an offended look on her.

"Oh, as if you don't believe that she's still that baby crawling around the apartment and don't wanting to be found." Mary Margaret laughed moving away from her and approaching at Emma again.

Regina watched Mary Margaret hug her daughter once more. And she couldn't help but think that she was right. She could still remember Emma crawling around, and the few scares that she had given her thinking that she might hurt herself. Or she could remember the falls that Emma had given when she was alone with her. Or how many fevers she had suffered and she and Mary Margaret were there for her. Or her first day in the garden, or in school, or in high school.

Regina sighed with a smile, thinking about how Emma had grown. And Mary Margaret was right; she was still their baby girl.

* * *

Emma turned her gaze from Graham to Regina. She's been for a while sitting alone at the bar, usually she was never alone on her birthday, because she always finds someone to talk to, but now she was alone. Graham noticed her gaze and quickly apologized and he headed towards David and Kathryn to start a conversation with them.

Emma smiled at them before looking at her mother, noting that she was busy talking to Ruby and Ashley. She smiled and went to Regina, sitting at her side.

Regina moved her gaze to her, raising her eyebrows slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Emma said with the same tone, but then she formed a small smile. "You're never sitting alone on my birthday."

"I just wanted to... think."

"About what?"

"In much you've grown." Emma sighed, letting out a small smile. "Seriously, Emma. It was all very fast. I can still remember when you were so small that I was afraid to break you."

Emma smiled broadly as she rested her head on Regina's arm. She just took the girl's hand and sighed, remembering when her hand could wrap Emma's little hand. She didn't know why she'd become so emotional about Emma's age, but she just couldn't stop thinking about those things.

"You know, I hope my mom stop looking at David in that way." Emma said lifting her head again and with her eyes on her mother. Regina moved her gaze to Mary Margaret; Ruby and Ashley were talking to each other but she kept her eyes on David, who was talking to Kathryn and Graham.

"I hope so, too." Regina said with her eyebrows raised.

"Can I say something about that, please?" Emma said with her best puppy eyes. Regina sighed and rolled her eyes, nodding slightly. She always got her to accept anything with her green eyes. "And can I tell her it was your idea?"

"Whatever you tell her, she will think that it was my idea." Regina said taking her glass of soda.

Emma giggled at this. "Thanks, Gina!" She quickly kissed Regina's cheek and ran quickly at her mother.

She felt a little dizzy after Emma was gone, but she decided not to say anything. She took some of her drink as she saw Mary Margaret throwing a great look to her. After seconds, Mary Margaret was walking towards her with a fun Emma behind her.

"Regina, just stop saying those things about me and David."

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. But it's the truth." Regina said with a small smile on her glass.

"See? It was her idea!" Emma said with amusement.

"I know you two are plotting to say these things, just stop it."

Regina rolled her eyes, but decided to keep quiet for her friend's sake. She knew she was trying to hide it with fun, but inside it hurt like hell. "Alright, Emma, I think you should go talk to your other guests. Archie, for example."

"Or Leroy." Mary Margaret said.

"Leroy? I never know why he comes here. Oh yes, free food." Regina said with a sigh. "I don't want to Emma close an alcoholic, Mary Margaret!"

"Oh please, don't fight on my birthday. And Leroy's a very good person," Emma said before turning around and heading Leroy to start a conversation with him.

"Why she does the opposite of what we say?

"I don't know where she got that spirit. But I know who helped her make that possible." Mary Margaret stared at the mayor, with her eyebrows raised. "You always consented to her whims."

"Somebody had to."

Mary Margaret sat at her side, but she kept her gaze forward, specifically, to David. It was amazing how she could spend hours looking at him, even not close to talk him. Regina rolled her eyes and put her glass on the table once again.

"Mary Margaret, both of you had a chance. It didn't work out. You must get over it." Regina advised taking enough of Mary Margaret's actions. "You can go and talk to him if you want. Emma's no longer a little girl, she will figure things out."

"I know, it's not about Emma." Mary Margaret sighed shifting her gaze to her hands. "He chose her over me. When she remembered everything, yet he didn't move away from her side."

"He's an idiot. I always knew it." Regina said returning to take another sip of her drink. "But you must finish this. You're a grown woman; you can't spend your life looking at him without doing anything. Or you stop looking at him, or you go and confront him."

Mary Margaret lifted her gaze to David again. "I believe that true love is not easy, but if some people are meant to be, they will find a way to do it."

"_Love doesn't work that way. Love… true love, is magic. And not just any magic, the most powerful magic of all. It creates happiness."_

"Regina?" Mary Margaret asked watching Regina's eyes in anywhere. She quickly blinked and looked at her confused at the school teacher. "You okay?"

"_You okay?"_

"_I'm good, I'm listening… it changed you?"_

"_Yes… it taught me that there can be this genuine, selfless connection between people. Even strangers."_

"_What happened to her? The stranger."_

"_She's gone, oh but I hope she comes back someday."_

Mary Margaret quickly placed her hand on Regina's arm and squeezed it slightly. "Regina?"

The mayor frowned watching Mary Margaret's green eyes. "Yes?"

"What happened? You seemed lost."

"I was thinking... I'm sorry." Regina quickly said giving her a small smile. "I think that Ruby wants to talk to you, but she doesn't dare to come to here because you're talking to me."

Mary Margaret looked back to see Ruby looking at her, a little nervous. She returned her gaze to Regina and frowned. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, why should I be otherwise?"

Mary Margaret stared at Regina's eyes, noticing that there was something that she wasn't telling her, but the brunette decided to let it go. At one time she would tell her. "Okay." She said before getting up and heading to Ruby again.

Regina let out a big sigh as she remembered the images that had gone through her head. First she had seen a little girl with dark hair and green eyes, and then she seemed to be speaking to Mary Margaret. But Mary Margaret had long hair, and she was wearing strange clothes. And they weren't in a commonplace. Regina was sure she had never experienced such things. But those images had been like memories. She could feel them as memories.

"Time for cake!" Mary Margaret shouted making Regina look forward. She watched her friend take the cake to a table as Emma stood in front of that table. The girl raised her eyes quickly and found her brown eyes, and though Regina was feeling a little weak for some reason, she got up and walked over to Emma.

Emma was standing in front of the cake as everyone stood around her. Regina and Mary Margaret were on both sides of her, but they were the people who were closer to the girl. Mary Margaret as always, began to sing the song for her daughter, as all the others began to join her. Regina could see Emma totally nervous, like every year. When everyone finished singing, Emma took a big sigh and walked over to the cake, blowing out the fifteen candles that her mother had put on the cake.

Everyone started to clap, and Regina couldn't help feeling a great dizziness reach her.

_"Mother why have you done this?"_

_"Because this is a happy ending."_

_"What?!"_

Pain. Tears. More pain, and more pain. Regina sighed and stepped back, moving away from people. She turned and walked toward the bar, holding on to the table and her head down as she returned to revive the images that she'd had seconds back in her head.

Daniel was in her arms, lifeless. Her mother had her heart ripped out. She _killed_ him.

"_Did – did you tell her about me and Daniel?"_

"_Yes…"_

"_But I told you very specifically not to."_

"_I'm sorry; I just didn't want you to lose your mother… like I lost mine."_

Regina lifted her head and can feel the anger through her veins, but she began to feel increasingly weak. She closed her eyes and sighed, totally confused by these images and these feelings, but trying to regain strength.

"_Regina!"_

"_I'm Snow. Snow White."_

"Regina?" Mary Margaret's voice came at her ears. She turned slowly to find her green eyes full of concern. Her hands were quickly on her arms. "Are you okay?"

Regina tried to speak, but she couldn't stand more on her feet, so she dropped to the ground, as Mary Margaret grabbed her before although both of them fell to the ground, catching everyone's attention.

"Mom, Regina!" Regina heard Emma scream. She opened her eyes slightly to see Emma's face full of concern. Mary Margaret called for an ambulance, and then Regina realized that she was in her arms. "Regina, what's wrong?" Emma asked totally scared. Regina wanted to talk to her to tell her that she shouldn't panic, but something crossed her mind again.

_"I know I'm being judged by my past. A past where I've caused pain, a past where I've inflected misery, a past where I've even brought death. But looking back at everything I've done, I want you all know what I feel. And that's... regret." She lowered her eyes feeling the anger and hatred back to her. "Regret that I was not able to cause more pain… inflect more misery, and bring out more death." She clenched her jaw and turned her gaze, feeling a great hatred in her body. "And above of all with every fiber of my being, I regret that I was __**not**__ able to kill... Snow White."_

She began to feel like she was placed on a stretcher and began to be brought to a place. She tried to stay awake, but the dizziness and headache was becoming stronger. Emma and Mary Margaret were at her side, but she quickly learned that she was in an ambulance. She could see Emma stay out of the ambulance, with her eyes full of tears. And she could see Mary Margaret get into the ambulance and placed at her side, holding her hand tightly.

"Regina, it's gonna be okay." She whispered with a small smile, but Regina quickly took her hand from her with the little strength she had.

She quickly began to feel and relive everything. The images wouldn't stop going through her mind, and all she could do was watch, and feel those same emotions again. But finally, she could see the last thing she lived. In the _other _world.

"_Where are we going?"_

"_Somewhere horrible. Absolutely horrible. A place where the only happy ending… will be mine."_

She shook her head once more, finding her eyes. She knew very well that pair of eyes, but not this way. She was her best friend, but... she was...

"Regina, I'm here, don't worry." She said taking her hand tightly again. This time, Regina was powerless to keep it away from her.

She sighed slightly and looked back at Mary Margaret.

_No._

Mary Margaret was Snow White. And she was The Evil Queen.

_"The Queen is dead. Long live... The Evil Queen."_

Regina felt her pain at her head came up. She closed her eyes and plunged into the darkness, unable to hear anything else. She just began to relive _all_ her life again.

* * *

**It was time that one of them woke up. I'm a little nervous to know what you all think about this, so please, let me a review to know? :)**

**As always, thank you for your reviews! I love reading what y'all think! :)**

**I'm sorry if there's grammatical errors, really.**

**And thank you for reading! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Of course, this a chapter focus on Regina.**

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Emma ran upstairs as fast as she could. She knew she shouldn't be there, but she get away from Graham's eyes and she did not hesitate to run off to the hospital. She knew immediately where the mayor was hospitalized, so she ran to the second floor. When she got there, she went to room 206.

Regina hadn't been through anything like this, ever. Emma couldn't believe this had happened in her birthday. She just wanted to spend the day with the people she loved, but mostly with her mother and Regina. And now the three of them were in the hospital. Because Regina had fainted. It was something that Emma couldn't believe, yet it was starting to scare her a lot. If Regina fainted was because maybe something serious had happened to her. She'd never fainted.

Emma went to the door and opened it slowly, poking her head to see Regina lying in bed asleep as her mother sat beside her. "Mom?"

Mary Margaret quickly turned her head at her daughter's voice. "Emma." She stood up and went to her as Emma came in and closed the door. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay there..."

"I can't." Emma said and then walked at Regina's bed, watching her carefully. She was pale, so Emma took her hand and slowly turned her gaze to her mother. "She will be fine, right?"

Mary Margaret pressed her lips to see her daughter's eyes filled with fear. She couldn't blame her. She was very scared, too. Regina never had fainted, and if something like that had happened, maybe something was very wrong. She just hoped she was wrong. The doctors had taken a bit of Regina's blood and then left to analyze it, but the wait was killing her. Mary Margaret didn't want Emma to have to go through more despair. Much less on her birthday.

"She'll be fine." Mary Margaret said approaching her and placing a hand on her arm, with a small smile. "The doctors took some of her blood and now they are analyzing it. But Dr. Whale told me that it's not seems serious."

"We had to have realized that something was wrong." Emma said, turning her gaze towards an asleep Regina.

"It's my fault. I saw that something was wrong with her, but she said she was fine. I should have pressed." Mary Margaret sighed.

"She had never been through this." Mary Margaret put her hand in her hair, in an attempt to comfort. "What if – what if something is really wrong with her?" Emma returned to find her mother's gaze and Mary Margaret could see the tears fall into her eyes.

"Emma, don't. She's gonna be okay."

Emma quickly found herself in her mother's embrace. She sighed and tried to contain her tears. Since she'd found out that she was adopted, she wouldn't cry in front of anyone. Not even her mother. If she wanted to cry, she should do when she was alone.

"Come here." Mary Margaret took her hand and walked her to the small couch that was in the room. She sat her daughter there and placed a hand on her head. "I'll go get Dr. Whale to know how the results are going. Stay here, okay?"

"Okay."

Mary Margaret pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving. Emma sighed turning her gaze to Regina, trying to think that nothing would be wrong. She perhaps had not eaten, so she had fainted. Or a lot of other reasons not dangerous or serious.

"Mmm..." Regina began to move her head, and Emma could not keep up with fast and close to the bed.

"Regina?" Emma said softly, knowing that maybe she still felt bad. The brunette opened her eyes slowly, blinking to check where she was.

"Where..." Regina murmured, taking clearer her vision. She could start to see a figure at her side, and she put her hands to her sides starting to sit straight. When she was sitting, she could see who was at her side. "Emma?"

"Are you okay?"

Regina stared at Emma. She started trying to think of someone who could look like Emma in the other world, but she couldn't find anyone. But she quickly reminded of where the girl came from. She wasn't from that world, she was from this world. Wasn't she?

"You know who I am?" Emma asked carefully to see Regina's eyes lost.

Regina blinked and looked at Emma. "Why are you asking that?" She asked defensively.

"Because you seem lost..." Emma said a little confused. She didn't want to say anything for a second, but she could see something different in Regina's gaze. Maybe it was the product of her fainting. "You passed out, and now you're in the hospital, remember?"

Regina frowned, remembering what had happened to minutes ago. She was in Emma's surprise party for her fifteenth birthday. It was Mary Margaret's idea and she didn't hesitate to help and act like she didn't remember Emma's birthday. She recalled Mary Margaret's face, and she couldn't help down her eyes giving herself an account of that little detail.

Mary Margaret was Snow White. And she was Mary Margaret's best friend... they were family. But she hated Snow White. How she could be her best friend, her family?

"The doctors did a blood test, and Mom went to get Dr. Whale to see how the results were going." Emma said although she was very confused about Regina's behavior.

Regina shook her head to Emma, listening her words carefully. She'd said _Mom_. But of course, she was talking about Mary Margaret. Regina felt the anger in her veins to know that Snow White had a child in this world. She was still happy even though she made a great effort to take her happiness from her.

But Regina felt a blow to her stomach as she remembered something. Snow White was pregnant, and she had a child in the other world. She gave birth to a baby girl, and she sent her through a wardrobe to save her from her curse.

And supposedly, Emma had been abandoned in the woods by her parents. Regina rolled her eyes at Emma's eyes, and she felt her breath choppy when she saw her green eyes. How had she not noticed? How no one had noticed before? Emma's eyes were Mary Margaret's eyes. Snow White's eyes.

_"The child?"_

_"Gone. It was in the closet, and then it was gone. There's no where to be found."_

"_Where is she?"_

"_She got away."_

Regina felt her eyes fill with tears at the thought if that could be true. She never knew Snow White's child's name, but she wanted to believe she was wrong. But everything seemed to match. Emma appeared on the first day of the curse, her parents never showed up, and her eyes were very similar to those of Mary Margaret. And Regina didn't want even begin to look for other similarities.

"You scared me a lot." Emma's voice got her back to reality.

Regina began to feel her breath stirring. She wanted get out of there. She needed to be alone, to think clearly. Or rather, she needed answers. And she knew where she could find them. The mayor sighed and got out of bed carefully, knowing that maybe she was still a little weak.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked approaching her shocked and confused.

"I gotta go." Regina said dryly, heading to the couch to take her coat and put it on.

"What?" Emma said totally confused. "No, you can't. You just pass out; the doctors must see you before you can leave." Regina ignored her words and went to the door, so Emma had to get closer and take her arm, catching Regina's gaze. "You can't leave!"

Emma could see something completely different in Regina's gaze. Her brown eyes weren't full of love as always. She'd never looked at her with such contempt and coldness. "You can't tell me what to do."

Regina got rid of Emma's grip and left the room, leaving the girl completely shocked and confused at her behavior and gaze. Emma knew at that moment that something changed in Regina because of her fainting.

* * *

Regina walked as fast as she could. She still felt the pain in her head, as her memories were all involved in it. Her curse's memories, all memories she lived while she was cursed, and all her true memories. It was hard to contain, but she needed the answers she should have. She had created the curse; she had brought the entire Enchanted Forest to this world.

She should have remembered everything from the start.

"Madam Mayor, I've heard the news that you had ended up in hospital. How are you feeling now?" Mr. Gold asked with courtesy and a small smile when he saw her enter in his store.

"Don't play with me." Regina coldly said, approaching him and standing in front of him. "You should know very well why I'm here."

"I don't." Mr. Gold said dismissively and clutching his hands to his cane.

Regina narrowed her eyes staring at his eyes. "Yes you do." She said dragging her words. "I want to know now why I had to go through something that I created myself."

Gold smirked. "Now we're talking. And how is it that you created?"

"You gave me the idea, you gave me the curse. And I'm pretty sure you have something to do with that I've not remembered anything."

"Until now." Gold said, starting to walk across the counter. "You remember now, how it affects you?"

"It concerns me that I had to have remembered from the beginning to see the unhappiness of others!" Regina snapped coldly, but she quickly felt something strange inside her. By many years she didn't speak that way. She never wanted being Regina Mills, just the mayor, the unhappiness of everyone else.

"The unhappiness of everyone else or Snow White's unhappiness? Oh, please tell me. How's it like to know that your biggest enemy is your best friend?" Gold said with a small chuckle, standing in front of her. And Regina could see Rumpelstiltskin in front of her.

"Why you did this?"

"Oh, well. You really think you could keep something from me, dearie?" Regina frowned, completely confused at his question. "Belle. You know her, right?"

Belle. Rumpelstiltskin's servant, the woman he loved. The woman who was locked by her for a few years while she was looking for the opportunity to use her against him. And quickly, Regina remembered someone else.

Lacey. The woman who was always in bars, and who used to dress inappropriately for her taste. But how she was there? She had planned for when she came into this world; she should keep her locked in a room in the hospital.

"Before you could cast the curse, I found out that that you kept her locked up." Gold said angrily dragging his words. "And I changed the curse."

"We had a deal!" Regina angrily snapped, crossing her arms. "You couldn't break it."

"But I did. And I changed your memory for mine."

"You were locked..." Regina said, remembering how he had been locked up for Cinderella, Prince Thomas and Prince Charming. "How –"

"Never underestimate me, dearie. I sent someone to release Belle, and then I changed your dear curse. That's all you need to know, isn't it?"

"No, it's not." Regina said quickly, remembering what was her second goal to know about. "I know you have a lot to do with it. So, tell me. Who are Emma's parents?"

"Emma's parents? Oh, I thought she had been abandoned in the forest..." Gold said without attention.

"Yes, but her birth papers said she had been born in Storybrooke's hospital. And both of us know that's impossible. So tell me, who are her real parents?"

Gold smiled truly, enjoying observe her concern and anxious to see her pain to know the truth. "Well, dearie. I think you know."

Regina felt a lump in her throat. She didn't want to hear that, definitely. Emma was Snow White's child. She had her blood running through her veins. But most important was that Snow White's child was the savior. Emma was going to break her curse. And if she did that, Snow White like everyone else would have their memories back. And everything would be as before, or worse.

Now Emma was in the middle of everything. And Regina was sure if Snow would remember that she was the Evil Queen, she wouldn't allow her to be near Emma. And Regina wasn't going to let anyone take Emma away from her.

"You must have something for her to not break the curse." Regina said faster and desperate, knowing that Gold should be able to solve this.

"What could I have? I want her to break the curse. Oh, and I assure you that she's going to do it."

"No, she won't." Regina said nervously, feeling despair reach her .

"What will you do? You're going to enclose her like you did with Belle? Or you're going to put her to sleep as you did with her mother?"

Regina looked at him feeling anger around her body. She turned around and started walking away from him, to leave the store and start walking down the street, taking her coat and adjusting it to her as she hugged herself, feeling the tears fall into her eyes.

Everything was going to be bad. If Emma broke the curse, everyone would remember who they were, and who she was. They were going to go for her head. Emma was going to discover that it was all true, that she was the Evil Queen, and she would hate her. Snow and Charming would keep Emma away from her.

Regina stopped walking to think of a new idea. It was a horrible idea now that she thought about it, because she didn't know if she could do it. She wouldn't mind doing it with Charming, but she would not know if she could do it to Snow White... Mary Margaret.

She couldn't kill her. Not after everything they went through. They raised Emma together. Maybe when Snow wakes up, she wouldn't have access to keep Emma away from her, because she remembered that she raised Emma as she did.

And thinking about it, Regina told herself that she could do as if she had not woken up. She could go to her normal life, with Emma and Mary Margaret, but Regina also knew that she couldn't do it so easily. From now on, every time she would look at Mary Margaret, she would know that she was the cause of Daniel's death.

Regina stopped walking and realized she was in the dock. She sighed and sat on the bench, watching the boats and the sea. She felt a tear slide down her cheek, and she knew that this was only the first.

If she had awakened, it was because something had changed. Maybe she'd been the first and was a matter of minutes or hours for everyone awoke. But what if this time she was going to be the only one awake, and she would have to live with her two lives. Now everything was going to be more confusing, because she didn't know how she would react being in front of Mary Margaret, though she would try to get the idea that she was only in front of Mary Margaret,_ not_ Snow White.

Regina let out a big sigh, wanting more than anything at that moment that magic exists in this world so that she could take something that would make her forget her afterlife. It was quite ironic that she was the happiest person while she was cursed, and now she wasn't cursed, she was unhappy.

Regina knew that Rumpelstiltskin's plan had gone perfectly. He let her be happy, for when she wakes up, her happiness would go away from her. No doubt, she had awakened from a curse, but now she was in one worse.

Her cell phone started ringing and Regina dropped her gaze to the pocket of her coat. She pulled out her phone and saw who was calling her. Mary Margaret.

Taking a deep breath, Regina took the call and put the cell phone in her ear. "Hello."

_"Regina, are you crazy?! You couldn't leave the hospital! Where are you?"_ Mary Margaret's angry voice came at her ear. And Regina had to refrain from responding aggressively.

"I just needed some air. I'm fine."

_"Yes, the blood results came out fine, but you could not go that way. You know the fright you've given to Emma?"_

At Emma's mention, Regina knew she could be herself again. "How is she?"

_"She's fine. She's sick worried like me to know where you were. Could come home?"_

"I – I need to be alone." Regina said.

_"Alone? Why?"_

Regina rolled her eyes, unable to bear more her questions. She knew it was because Mary Margaret was worried, but the thought that she was actually talking to Snow couldn't help through her mind. "I just need to be alone, okay?"

_"So, you don't want to come home to spend with Emma her birthday?"_ Regina gasped as she remembered it certainly was Emma's birthday. _"Because do you remember that today is her birthday, right?"_

"Of course I do." Regina quickly said, slightly offended that she would think that she might have forgotten it. Well, she did it. But many things were on her mind to stop thinking about what she had experienced on that day.

_"She won't come back at Granny's until she sees you. Could you come here?"_

"Okay." Regina said by giving herself up, and knowing that she didn't want Emma could feel bad in her birthday. "I'll be right there." And without another word, she hung up.

* * *

**Hey everyone! I just have to say that I love her reviews! **

**And, that yes, from now on everything will change, because Regina - The Evil Queen - is back. But don't worry, I read every review, and now everything is going to be very complicated, because that The Evil Queen has returned, not mean that Regina Mills is gone. So yeah, it's gonna be very difficult for her and Mary Margaret. So Emma, because she who's in the middle of those two.**

**Now that everything has changed, you can tell me what would like to see here! ;)**

**Sorry if there's grammatical errors.**

**Thanks for reading! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Here's a chapter about how Regina's attitudes are noted by Emma and MM. I hope to upload soon the next.**

* * *

_Emma opened her eyes and smiled when she saw her Mama and Regina next to her bed. And to see what her mother had in her hands, she smiled even more and sat on her bed scratching her eyes. She removed her hands from her eyes and stood on the bed of a jump, ready to start her day._

_"I'm five, I'm five!" Emma yelled starting to jump on the bed. Mary Margaret and Regina laughed as the mayor took the girl and wrapped her in a tight embrace._

_"Happy birthday, Emma." Regina said before pressing a kiss on Emma's forehead._

_"I'm a big girl now!" Emma said with emotion, shifting her gaze to her mother. Her mom smiled and stepped closer to her and kissed her cheek hard._

_"You'll always be my baby." Emma pouted, but she finally smiled. "Happy Birthday."_

_"Thanks, Mama." She didn't want to move much because she was still in Regina's arms, but she moved her gaze to her big chocolate cake. "There are five candles, right?"_

_"Right. You know how old are you now?" Regina asked, trying to see if Emma began to have notion of the numbers, but Regina knew the answer anyway. Emma had learned the number 5 from her last birthday._

_"Yes, I'm five years old!" Emma said with emotion and opening one of the palms of her hand. "I'm like this."_

_"You are a very smart girl, do you knew that?" Mary Margaret smiled sitting up in bed with the cake in her hands, as Regina sat in front of her placing Emma in her lap._

_"Can I blow out the candles?" Emma asked with excitement and her eyes fixed on the lighted candles in front of her._

_"Of course you can." Her mom said, and she lifted her gaze to her for a second. "But first you must make a wish, remember?"_

_Emma closed her eyes tightly as she began to hear her Mama and Regina's voices sing the song they always sang in her birthday. She kept her eyes closed, thinking about something she could want. She wanted a pair of new toys, but she knew that Regina or her mom would go to buy them. She should ask for something that couldn't be bought. And she knew what she wanted._

_'I wanna have my Mama and Gina for ever.'_

_And then, she blew out the five candles that marked that she was five years old now._

Emma raised her eyes to hear the front door close. Her home wasn't very big, so she could hear when people get into it. And she knew immediately who had arrived. The blonde got up and went to her room's door, opening it gently and pulling her head to try to know what her mother and Regina would start to talk.

She never used to do that, but she knew she wouldn't be informed about what was happening to Regina. Emma knew from the moment she opened her eyes in the hospital that something was wrong with her. Maybe Regina would tell her mother, as always, so she decided to slowly open the door a little more and get down a couple of steps, to sit in the middle of the stairs to see her mother and Regina in the kitchen.

"Where's Emma?" Regina asked, clutching her purse to her shoulder.

Mary Margaret frowned, watching Regina's eyes. There was something more... something strange that she couldn't identify. Her gaze was changed, but she couldn't know what was gone, or what was left over. She sighed and shook her head slightly, trying to get those thoughts from her mind. Maybe she was wrong. Although she had a feeling she was not.

"Are you gonna tell me what happened to you?" Mary Margaret decided to respond. And she frowned to see Regina's gaze to her. If she didn't know her well, she could tell she was staring at her coldly, or hatred.

"Nothing happened to me." She rolled her eyes and sighed slightly. "I just fainted, then I wanted some time alone. That's wrong?"

"No." Mary Margaret felt totally confused to her voice hard. "But today is Emma's birthday..."

"I know what day it is today." Regina replied dryly.

Regina could see the expression on Mary Margaret's face. She realized how cold she was being, but she couldn't help it. She didn't want anyone could realize it, but she could act normal in front of everyone. Except in front of _this_ woman. She was her best friend, but Regina knew who she really was. And she couldn't just forget it.

"What happened at Granny's? The party's over?" Regina asked, trying to change the conversation and find something to occupy her mind.

"Yes. Emma doesn't want to have the party after you've passed."

Regina nodded slightly and moved her gaze away not wanting to find Mary Margaret's eyes. "I'm gonna see her." She turned away, and wished that Mary Margaret wouldn't ask anything else, but she knew that wouldn't happen.

"Wait." Regina closed her eyes and sighed. "I know that something has happened, Regina." She opened her eyes and turned around, returning to find her green eyes. She was worried. "I can say that something happened to upset you. I know you."

"I can assure you, dear, nothing has happened to me." She smirked, and Mary Margaret frowned to see that smile. She wasn't smiling as always. "I'll check out on Emma."

When she turned around, she stayed at her place to see the girl in the bottom of the stairs, with her hand on the railing, her eyes fixed on her. Regina couldn't help but look at her up and down, as if she was knowing her for the first time. She could see Snow's curlers in her, David's hair color, her mother's eyes, her mother's chin, David's nose. She sighed slightly and returned her gaze to her green eyes, unable to believe that the person she loved like her own daughter was undoubtedly a Charming. Snow White's child.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked carefully.

"Yes." Regina smiled, a real smile. "I'm sorry I scared you and I ruined your surprise party."

Emma let out a sigh that she didn't believe she was holding. Now she was talking to Regina as always. "It's okay; I don't mind spending my birthday with just the two of you."

"So, you want to eat the cake that is here?" Mary Margaret said from behind the counter. Emma frowned as she passed close to Regina and sat on a bench in front her mother.

"You made another cake for here?"

"Of course." Her mother said as was heading to the refrigerator and opened the door. "Because I knew that in some way or another we were going to finish just three of us." She said taking a chocolate cake – not as big as the other – from the refrigerator. "You know, as always."

"But that's at night, Mom." Emma said with a small smile as her mother put the cake in front of her.

"But we can pretend that it is night." Mary Margaret smiled but turned her gaze to Regina. She was standing in the same spot, staring at them. "Regina? Should I show you where you could sit?" She tried to joke, causing a smile on her daughter's face.

Regina blinked and walked over to them, taking a seat beside Emma. She could only see how Mary Margaret began to cut the cake for pieces, as she and Emma shared a conversation she could not hear clearly about what it was. Many memories were still in her mind, and she was still trying to identify one by one.

But she didn't know what was more painful. If she remembering what her life was in another world, or remembering what her life was in this world, and knowing that nothing would ever be the same.

_"I thought you weren't her, because I thought my mom was Snow White, and you two are best friends, so you couldn't be her... but now I can see it." Emma took a breath before continuing. "You are the Evil Queen."_

_"Emma, you can't keep thinking that we are all fairy tale characters. The Evil Queen? I'm not evil!"_

She closed her eyes, remembering the time that Emma truly believed in the curse. She weighed in a moment that the girl was going crazy, when all she was saying was true. She was Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter, she was the savior. And she was right when she said that she was the Evil Queen. But Regina frowned, remembering something that Emma had said, and she knew that wasn't true.

_"Surely you pretended to love me all this time to make sure that I can't break your curse, but I'm gonna do it! My mother will have her happy ending!"_

"Regina!" Mary Margaret raised her voice and she couldn't help fixing her gaze on her, confused.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You sure you're okay? Don't want us accompany you to the hospital?"

"I'm fine, what you were talking about?"

"Nothing, I was asking you if you wanted cake, or not." Regina nodded slightly as Mary Margaret put a small plate with cake in front of her.

Regina sighed and began to slowly the cake, knowing that she should let her old life go. She had everything she wanted now; she had love from someone. Emma, Mary Margaret... she couldn't deny that her hatred to Snow White was in her body, but she had to remind herself that this was Mary Margaret, not Snow White. While Snow White wasn't present in her life, everything would be back to normal.

The sound of the doorbell made Regina react, and she looked at the door, as Emma and Mary Margaret.

"I'll go." Emma said, jumping off the bench and heading towards the door. She came to the door and opened it, but no one was on the other side. "Hi?" Emma said, looking in all directions, but unable to see anyone.

"Who is it, Emma?" Mary Margaret asked from her place.

"No one..." Emma said, lowering her gaze to close the door, and she could see what was on the floor, lying. "What?"

She frowned as she bent to pick up the object. It was her book. She got up on her feet with the book in her hands, unable to believe what she was seeing. She had thrown it. She didn't want to see it again.

_Emma jumped from her small castle and ran to the river bank, clutching the book at her chest. She took it and moved it away from her, to see it better. And her eyes filled with tears._

_She knew that none of it was true. She was never loved by her biological parents; they had preferred to leave her in the woods to drift, when they could have left her in the hospital. They didn't want her; maybe they hated her, because indeed what kind of parents would leave their baby in the middle of the woods?_

_Emma felt the tears roll down her cheeks and she sighed remembering what this book did to her. This book made __her think her mother and Regina were evil and that wasn't true. She believed that they didn't love, and that could never happen. She preferred to believe in her real parents' love rather than their love, and she was very wrong. And everything because that book showed her that she was a savior, and that she should bring back the happy endings._

_She wasn't a savior. And there were no happy endings. Emma glared at the book in her hands before moving closer to the shore and throw it into the water._

_And then, she turned and ran, hoping not to see that book again._

"Emma? What's going on?" Regina said getting up from the bench. Emma turned around with her look in the book, and Regina paled to see what that was. "How – what's that doing there?"

"Oh, Emma..." Mary Margaret muttered, walking toward her daughter and closing the door behind her. Then, she placed next to Emma and touched her arm, knowing how this book was painful for her. In that year she'd discovered that her biological parents abandoned her.

"How this came here? I threw it… I threw it into the water." Emma muttered unable to take her eyes from the book. She sighed and opened it, looking at the first page.

Emma Swan was written on the edge of the first page. She smirked, remembering that _Swan_ was the name she used when she played she was deputy.

"You should throw it back." Regina said not knowing what to do. She hoped that Emma wouldn't believe in the curse again, that way, she could break it and everything would go to hell.

"I know..." Emma whispered without moving her eyes. She frowned and raised her eyes to her mom. "Who could have left it there?"

"I don't know, but I don't want you to feel bad. If you don't want to have it, I can save it." She replied with a small smile and stroking her right arm. Emma sighed and held out the book.

"Yes, you should keep it."

Regina saw how Mary Margaret nodded and took the book, moving toward her room. She couldn't do more than looking all shocked and then returning her gaze to Emma. "Why do you want to keep it?"

"I won't read it, but I don't want right now to go and throw it again." Emma said approaching towards the counter again, trying to clear her mind. "I just – I can't believe it's back here."

"You can't believe that? You shouldn't be able to believe who has put it there, Emma." Regina said approaching her. "What if it's someone dangerous?"

"Dangerous?" Emma frowned returning her gaze to her. "Why should be dangerous to have that book back?" She laughed lightly.

"Because you know how bad that damn book has made you feel."

Emma decided to ignore her words and focus on the hatred that she was putting in every word. "Why do you hate it so much now? You weren't this way years ago."

Regina sighed and tried to clear her mind, knowing that she should act strangely. "Because I don't want you to go through all that pain again."

"I will not." Emma replied with a small smile. She sighed and continued to eat her piece of cake.

Regina sighed and looked at Mary Margaret's room, watching the brunette walked towards them. What if Mary Margaret decided to read the book and somehow, she began to remember everything? She felt the desperation get to her to just think about that.

"So, wouldn't you mind if I took it to my house?" Regina said, turning her gaze to Emma.

Emma raised her eyebrows confused and turned her gaze to her. "Why would you want to take it?"

"Because as I said, I don't want you to suffer again."

"But I've said I'm not going back to read it again."

"I saw your eyes when you were watching it, Emma. Though you don't read it, the only view it could cause you pain."

"I've kept it well, Regina. There's no need to worry." Mary Margaret said in her quiet voice, but Regina shook her head annoyed.

"Yes, there is!" She couldn't help raising her voice, causing confusion in both of them. "I just – I want to keep it. It's for your own good Emma, believe me."

"Okay, as you want..." Emma said something puzzled, but nodding slightly to her mom.

"Alright," Mary Margaret said, raising her hands in surrender. She walked away from them, heading towards her room.

"Regina, uh, you're acting a little strange..." Emma began gently, staring at Regina's eyes. "And it was after your blackout." She frowned and then opened her eyes on sock, completely shocked and scared. "Are you... pregnant?"

"What?!" Regina exclaimed in surprise and confusion. "Of course not Emma, what are you saying?"

"I don't know, maybe you were acting strangely because you didn't know how to tell us..."

"I'm not pregnant at all." Regina sighed and both of them remained silent until the brunette turned her gaze to the girl. "Why I should be, anyway?"

"Regina, I'm fifteen years. I know how babies are made, and I know about you and Graham."

"What?!" Regina couldn't help feeling more than ever _just_ Regina Mills, and not The Evil Queen. "What – I do not know what you're talking about." She tried to say, surely knowing that her cheeks were red because of embarrassment. She knew that the whole town should know about them, but she couldn't believe that her Emma could know about that.

"Regina, I knew you two were more than just friends when he stayed to dinner the days that I stayed at your home to sleep."

Regina frowned, trying to remember those moments. When she did, she turned her gaze to the blonde. "Emma, those were surely two nights. He never stayed for dinner after those nights."

"Never mind, I realized it." Emma shrugged.

"Here it is, Madam Mayor." Mary Margaret said walking towards them, with the book in her hands. She held it out to Regina, and the mayor took it hard, looking at the cover carefully.

It couldn't be coincidence that this book had come back to Emma's life when she finally woke up. Someone must know she had remembered everything, and now that someone wanted Emma to break the curse. But there was no way she was going to let that happen. Her life was already ruined enough to let it be ruined even more. She sighed deeply and lifted her gaze to Emma and Mary Margaret.

"I gotta go."

Emma's eyes widened. "What?"

Regina set her eyes on her and sighed slightly. "I gotta go, but I'll be back. It's only for a while, I promise."

"But..." Emma said changing her look from her at her mother and then to her again. "But I always spend my birthday with both of you. The _whole_ day."

"I know, but you are now fifteen, dear, and I will not be out for a long time, really."

"Where are you going?" Mary Margaret decided to intervene, knowing she had to know what was more important to spend this special day with Emma. Actually, Mary Margaret believed that there was no other thing more important to Regina to be with Emma on her birthday... until today.

"I have to see someone, and I'll be back here soon." She put the book in a bag and headed for the door. "Don't worry, it's nothing important." She opened the door quickly and within seconds, she was out of their sight.

"It's nothing important?" Emma repeated still somewhat confused. Neither Regina nor her mom was gone her birthday to anywhere, ever.

"She said she'd be here right away." Mary Margaret tried to calm her stroking her arm.

But she knew that there was something more. Actually, Regina had to do something very – very – important to be away in Emma's birthday. She always knew that in Emma's birthday, Regina canceled all the meetings she had scheduled for that day, just to be with her daughter. Certainly, Regina wasn't gone to be in some important meeting, but what else could it be?

"Mom?"

Mary Margaret blinked and turned her gaze to her daughter. "What is it, honey?"

"You believe that something strange is happening to Regina?"

Mary Margaret sighed to see her daughter's eyes confused yet scared. She decided to shake her head slightly and move closer to her. "I'm sure it's nothing. She must have something very important to do, and she will be here in minutes. No matter what, she couldn't be very far from you on your birthday."

"That's true, but... there's something strange in her eyes... even in her voice. Are you sure those analyzes went well? She's not sick, right?"

"She's not." Mary Margaret stroked her cheek softly. "Everything's fine, Emma, trust me."

Emma smirked, so she did, although inside her, she wanted more than anyone to believe that everything was fine. But she had a strong feeling that this was just the beginning of something that wouldn't be fine.

* * *

**Hey everyone! I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I loved reading all these reviews! :)**

**And I love seeing your conclusions, I must say that some of them are not far away. Many things are going to happen now. Regina is awake, so Mr. Gold, but what if someone else awake? Mmm...**

**To clarify, Emma here would be like Henry to Regina, with the difference that Emma is a girl, and here she is fifteen. And don't worry, you'll see more about Emma/Regina, Regina/MM, and Emma/MM. And, I am very eager to write teenger Emma. Though Regina woke up, and everything could become more confusing, that not remove the fact that Emma is still a teenager. ;)**

**I don't have written the next chapter but I think I have an idea. It's going to be about Mary Margaret and Regina trying to deal with a teenager Emma, so hope you'll like the next! And that doesn't mean that there no will be something of drama because Regina/The Evil Queen, (;**

**I was really happy reading your reviews, so please, let me one to know what you think about this chapter! :)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

Regina took a sip of her coffee as she looked at all the people sitting around her, in Granny's. She still had difficulty with her double memories in her head, but whenever she could, she tried to stare at one person and remember who it was in the land of fairy tales. She herself had decided to start calling her land in this way, after reading most of the book. She raised her eyes to see Gold entering the restaurant. He caught her gaze, and both of them maintained eye contact for a few seconds before he limped closer to the bar.

They had not spoken since she went to confront him, believing that he had been the person who had placed the book on Mary Margaret's porch to Emma find it.

_"Well, well... here you are again." Gold said walking across the counter. Regina frowned and stepped closer to him._

_"You know why I'm here now." She stood a few feet from him, and took the book from the bag. She looked at Gold's eyes, waiting for a response from him. "What do you want now?"_

_"Oh, well, it seems that our beloved book is back in action." He joked with a small smile, watching Regina's eyes filled with fury._

_"Stay away from Emma, do you hear me?"_

_"Let me see if I'm thinking right. You're here because you believe I made that book come back?"_

_"I don't believe it, I know it." Regina said putting the book back in the bag. "She doesn't believe in fairy tales, and this book will not change that."_

_"Then why are you so scared?" He smiled slightly, and Regina clenched her jaw, feeling the anger growing in her._

_"Stay away from Emma." She said before turning around and heading for the door._

_"Now that you're back, I thought you'd be smarter." Regina opened the door and turned to look at him ironically. "You really think that all that she needs to believe is a book?"_

Regina knew he was right, but she would never admit it. And although Emma didn't need the book to break the curse, she wouldn't take the risk of leaving her to recover it. She lowered her eyes, leaving her coffee on the table, as she heard the door bell ringing again. She raised her eyes and saw Mary Margaret in the doorway, watching her with a frown.

Mary Margaret began to approach her, and Regina couldn't help but make a mental note in her mind. This woman was her best friend, not her enemy, and she should behave to keep everything she built in the last fifteen years. She had a family, and although Snow White was Mary Margaret, Regina realized that she would be fine with her while Snow was not in sight.

"Regina, what are you doing here?" Mary Margaret asked sitting down in front of her. She looked around and returned her gaze to the mayor. "Where's Emma?"

"What?" Regina asked confused. "Today is Wednesday, Emma breakfast with me on Thursday, don't you remember it?"

"Of course I do." Mary Margaret's eyes opened quickly. "She told me she was going to have breakfast with you."

"I've not seen her since yesterday afternoon." Regina replied, furrowing her brow.

"She lied to me..." Mary Margaret whispered totally confused. But then, the despair reached her. "Where could she be?"

Regina felt the desperation get to her and stood up quickly. "We have to tell Graham."

* * *

Mary Margaret sighed leaving school and heading towards Graham's car. Emma wasn't in school, and Mary Margaret couldn't believe that her daughter had lied to her. She'd never done anything like that, but she'd made it clear that she had to leave early because she was going to have breakfast with Regina. But she didn't. And they didn't have any fight that could cause some anger in Emma so that she could escape.

"Which is what they've told you?" Regina asked once Mary Margaret reached them.

"She's not gone to school." Mary Margaret shook her head slightly. "She has snitched, but why?"

"We should ask each one of her friends if they know where she might be." Graham quickly said, crossing his arms.

Mary Margaret shook her head. "She has no friends."

"Yes, she has." Regina said, raising her eyes. "That new man who came here in Emma's birthday. August. I saw them talk, and Emma was laughing with him."

"But he's a man, and Emma is a... girl!" Mary Margaret snapped, feeling indignant that Regina might suggest that her baby girl was with a man.

"You think I don't know that?" Regina said with some anger. "But I'm sure he has something to do this."

"You know where he is living?" Graham intervened.

"I think he's at Granny's." Regina said, unable to remember if Emma had told him something about the man.

"Okay, let's go."

* * *

Regina and Mary Margaret started up the stairs as fast as they could. Graham was behind them, but he couldn't keep up with the women, he couldn't blame them, either. He adored Emma, he had seen her grow up, and he didn't know what he could do if he saw that this man was in his room with her. She was fifteen years old, after all. But Graham frowned, knowing he should behave because if that happened, he should keep both of his eyes in Regina and Mary Margaret.

They would kill the stranger.

"It's here, it's here." Regina said stopping at the first door on the second floor. "We should..." She couldn't finish her sentence that Mary Margaret was already knocking on the door.

"Mary Margaret, you should calm down..." Graham tried to say, but Regina sent him a look that he knew he shouldn't say anything else.

"I can't stay quiet if I don't know where my daughter is!" Mary Margaret snapped crossing her arms and starting to hit her right foot to the floor, with her eyes fixed on the door. "Where the hell is this man?"

The door opened, and the three of them could see the man on the other side. Regina and Graham already knew him, but Mary Margaret frowned observing him. She thought she had the feeling that she already knew him, but she shook her head quickly. She'd never seen him in her life. And this man knew her daughter. And she didn't know where her daughter was. She couldn't stand to think of other things.

"Sheriff, Madam Mayor..." August said, bowing his head slightly, returning his gaze to Mary Margaret. "You are..."

"I am Emma's mother, and I want to know if you've seen her. We don't know where she is."

"Emma?" August frowned. "No, I don't think I've seen her."

Regina raised her eyebrows, noting the degree of lies in his words. If anyone knew of lies, indeed she was. "Would you mind letting us in?"

"I've not seen Emma..." August tried to say, but Regina took a step forward, feeling the patience leaving her mind.

"You're the only friend she has, and I wouldn't be so sure you haven't seen her."

August kept his gaze on her dark eyes, and he didn't flinch at all. Regina knew he wouldn't give in to let them in, and she opened her mouth to say something more about this, but August's eyes moved to Mary Margaret, and she could see something different in his eyes. She frowned at this as August nodded slightly.

"Okay, you can verify that she's not here."

He ran to the side and the three of them got in. Regina looked in all directions as Mary Margaret and Graham, but Graham was the first to turn around to face the man.

"May I see the bathroom?"

August nodded. "Go on."

Graham nodded slightly as he headed towards the bathroom and Mary Margaret turned to look at August. "What kind of relationship you have with Emma?"

August opened his mouth to answer, but seeing her eyes, as Regina's, he could know what she meant by that question. "Oh my, it's not what you are thinking." He shook his head slightly. "I found Emma friendly to talk, that's all. I'm new here, and she offered to help me meet the people."

"She's fifteen years." Mary Margaret said quickly and firmly, and Regina couldn't help moving her gaze to her, feeling a hint of her stepdaughter in her best friend. "And I hope that what you're telling me is true. She's a kid."

"I know that very well..." Regina frowned when he saw his face change, as if he were about to say something else. "Miss Blanchard."

Graham left the bathroom shaking his head. "Everything's clean. She's not here."

"I've told you." August said, raising his hands in surrender. "But if I see her, I'll call you."

Mary Margaret sighed slightly. "Okay, thanks." She walked quickly by his side, leaving his room.

"Call me if you see her." Graham said before going to Mary Margaret.

Regina approached him, crossing her arms and looking at him curiously. "I know you're hiding something, boy." August frowned, and Regina could see anger in his eyes. "But I hope you don't have anything to do with Emma's disappearance. For your own sake, I mean." She shook her head slightly before leaving the room.

August sighed he did not know he was holding. He walked to the door and closed it quickly, as the noise of the window spun him around. Emma jumped into his room with a smile and a frown on her face.

"Why do you let them in?" She snapped a sigh. "They could have revised emergency stairs!"

"Your mother was really worried, Emma." August said quickly. "I think you should show up."

Emma shrugged, getting closer to the ledge where he had small objects he had collected from his travels. "I don't know, this is funny."

"It's funny that your mother is worried?"

"What is it that they told you?" Emma turned around looking at her curiously.

"I think your mother and Regina were worried that we might have something... romantic?" Emma let out a small laugh. "It's not funny, Emma. You should have seen their eyes. They were about to jump on me."

"They are somewhat overprotective, that's all." She said turning to look back to small objects. "They've been a little distant these past few days, since my birthday by the way. I think they could get back together as they seek me."

"You know the punishment that you will have when you have to show up?" August suggested by sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Yeah, it would be my first punishment." She said giving herself around. "I've already ran away once, but they didn't punish me for that. I'd just found out that I was adopted."

August frowned, something curious about this. "So, you're adopted?"

"Yeah, I was born at the hospital in this town, and my parents left me stranded in the middle of the forest." Emma turned to meet his eyes, but she only shrugged again. "They left me with nothing but a blanket."

"No, they didn't." August murmured with his head down, and Emma narrowed her eyes, confused.

"What?"

August raised his head quickly, somewhat surprised. "It should have been – be hard for you that..."

"No, it's not. Not anymore." Emma shook her head slowly, getting closer to the other side of the bed and sitting down there. "My mom and Regina were always there for me, and they are all I need."

"You're not interested in knowing about them?" August frowned confused, and Emma stared at him. "Your parents, I mean."

"No... they left me, why I should be interested in wanting to know about them?" She moved her gaze forward, letting out a sigh. "When I found out that I was adopted, I promised that I would find them. But then I discovered that they left me in the woods, abandoned... and I promised that I would never find them, and that's something I want to continue having." She returned her gaze to his. "I will _never_ find them. I don't need them."

An awkward silence filled the room and Emma had to bite her lip nervously. She knew this would be a complicated issue for other people, but she wanted to take it as something light. Her biological parents were nothing in her life, and she wanted to prove that that was true. She sighed slightly and returned her gaze to August, knowing that she didn't want to scare him with her dramatic story about her parents. Since he came to town, he had been completely kind to her, and she could already see him as a friend. And she was happy about that.

"So… could you continue telling me about your travels?" Emma said with a small smile. She had never gone out of Storybrooke, and she loved to hear about August's travels.

"Yeah, of course..."

* * *

Regina watched Mary Margaret walked around the living room. She sighed as her gaze down her cell phone, waiting a call from Graham. They had decided that they should stay at Mary Margaret's house, if Emma decided to return there while he looked around the town, asking people about her. But as soon as they had entered the house, Mary Margaret had not stopped walking everywhere, and Regina just couldn't take it anymore.

"Would you stop?! Emma will not appear because you're walking like a crazy!" Regina snapped upset.

Mary Margaret turned to her with a scowl on her face. "How can you be so calm? She's missing!"

"She lied to you, she went on her own, when she wants to return, she will."

Regina was surprised of herself. In other circumstances, she would have been as Mary Margaret was, or even worse, moving heaven and earth to find Emma. But she managed to stay calm, knowing that Emma was gone because she wanted, and knowing she had no reason to run away, Regina could maintain peace, knowing that she would come back.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Mary Margaret yelled pulling her out of her thoughts.

"What?" Regina said confused, watching Mary Margaret's eyes totally angry. "What's wrong with me? Emma has no reason to run away and never come back, she's coming back!"

"But she lied for a reason! She left for some reason and you're not even worried about that? Look, I don't know what's been happening to you these days, I've been waiting for you to tell me, but you didn't! Now the only thing that worries me is Emma, but how can you be so calm? What happened to you?"

Regina took a deep breath and stood up, holding her anger. "I'm worried about Emma, but..."

"You're not the same Regina, I know it. I know you. I know that something is bothering you, and you're not letting me help you. I don't want to talk about it now because... I can't think of anything else that's not my daughter, but we have to talk about this at some point, and you know it." Mary Margaret said firmly, and Regina had to restrain herself not to roll her eyes. It was impossible for Mary Margaret could know her now because she even couldn't.

A noise was heard from the door. Both women turned their eyes toward it, watching the door opened and Emma entered, with her backpack on her shoulder. The girl sighed deeply and turned away, closing the door and pulling the latch keys, placing them in the pocket of her jacket. Emma took a breath and turned, knowing what she was going to find.

"Emma Blanchard! Where have you been?!" Mary Margaret was the first to explode. She quickly ran to her and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "You..." She hissed moving away from her and taking her arms. "You don't know the fright you gave me Emma! Why'd you do that? How could you lie to me?"

Emma swallowed hard and moved her gaze to Regina, waiting for a reaction from her. There was nothing. She frowned, but turned her gaze to her mother. "I didn't want to go to school."

"What?" And there it was, Regina spoke walking toward them. "That's not true. Why didn't you tell us you didn't want to go to school as many times as you did?"

She knew they were going to say that, so Emma just shrugged. "I just wanted to get away for a while, okay? What's wrong? I'm here now." She moved to the table and hung her bag on a chair.

"What's wrong?" Regina repeated before Mary Margaret could say anything. She frowned and moved toward Emma. "And can you tell us where have you been all this time?"

"In the woods." Emma said, knowing that they could take that. "In the Bridge Toll, precisely."

"No, we went to look there and you weren't there." Mary Margaret said quickly. "Emma is better than you tell us where you have been. You lied to me, and you ran away. Tell us where you have been."

"I was in the woods!" Emma repeated crossing her arms. Regina's phone rang and she answered it quickly, moving away from them to speak calmly.

Mary Margaret approached at Emma with that serious look that Emma knew very well. "Why have you gone that way? You could've told me you didn't want to go to school instead of making me go through this scare."

Emma knew that there was a way for her mother could stop asking her questions, and she had no choice but to float the issue. "I woke up thinking about my parents, and I wanted to go to the woods."

Mary Margaret's face fell at that comment. She couldn't blame her for doing this, but she knew her daughter, she was lying to her. She wouldn't let this lie unnoticed. "You're lying to me, Emma."

"I'm not..."

"So, you were in the woods." Regina said walking towards them with her arms crossed. "That's a lie. Graham has talked to people, and they said they saw you with the stranger."

"What?" Mary Margaret said, opening her eyes wide in surprise. "Emma, is that..."

"Yes." Emma finally said with a sigh. Mary Margaret and Regina shared a look, and she had to add quickly. "But please, we're just friends. I went into his room, and we were talking. It's just that."

"Emma! He's twenty-one years! He's a man, and you're a girl!" Mary Margaret snapped totally furious.

"Oh my god, we're just friends, Mom!" Emma said quickly. "And I didn't run away because I wanted to be with him, I ran away for both of you."

Regina frowned, totally confused at this. "For both of us? Why?"

"Since my birthday you're not the same, Regina." Emma said a little sadly. She believed this could unite them again, but that had not happened. "I thought that if I ran away, both of you could get together to find me, and..."

"I'm not different, Emma. I'm still the same person." Regina said quickly, feeling a shred of guilt for causing this in Emma. She didn't want to hurt her; she was really trying to be the same person.

"No you're not. You're distant, especially with her." Emma said with her sad look, and Regina turned her gaze to Mary Margaret, but she couldn't find her eyes. "I don't know what happened, but both of you should talk. You know that I'm right." She took her bag and walked to the stairs. She moved up two steps and turned around, sighing. "And I know I'm grounded."

Emma turned and climbed the stairs to her room, to get into it and close the door behind her. Regina swallowed uncomfortably, not knowing what to say after Emma's words. She knew she was different, she couldn't help it, but she was trying not to. She didn't want to lose what she had built in the past fifteen years. She had a family, and while Mary Margaret couldn't remember anything, she would try to maintain that. She loved Emma as if she were her own daughter, it didn't matter that she was Snow White's real daughter. And she loved Mary Margaret, she had to admit it, she was her best friend. And she was trying to see her as her best friend, and not as her worst enemy who had ruined her life.

"I'm sorry." Regina said deciding to save her pride. She sighed and turned to face Mary Margaret. "I'm sorry if I've been distant these last days. Nothing's wrong with me, but…"

"I know that something is wrong with you, but I can't force you to tell me." Mary Margaret said with a small smile. "It's okay, Regina. You know that when you want to talk, I'll be here."

"Yes..." Regina said sadly, knowing that Mary Margaret was trying to be nice, and she wanted more than anything to talk about this with someone, but she couldn't. If she talked about her problem with Mary Margaret, she could treat her like a crazy, or she could remember their lives. And that couldn't happen.

* * *

**Hey everyone! I know it's been a while since I've updated here, but I don't know what came over me. I mean, I know what I want to write, but the words just... not come out of me.**

**I know this chapter maybe it was something light, but here I have shown that August's here. And I think you all know what he has come to do in the town. And I am very eager to begin the next chapters, because I think the real action begins now.**

**Thank you for your reviews! I'm so glad you all like this story, and I love reading your reviews!**

**To the guest who asked if Emma would break the curse when she is 28, or 15, this will happen while she is 15.**

**As always, sorry for the grammatical errors.**

**Thank you for reading! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Here is the Emma I wanted to see in this story. I hope you guys like her too.**

* * *

Mary Margaret looked up the stairs, watching her daughter down for them. She placed a cup of hot chocolate in front of her, knowing that Emma would be there to drink it. Indeed, the girl sat across the table and took her drink in silence, sipping it. Mary Margaret took her own cup to her mouth, staring at her. She was to speak at any time; she wanted it that Emma started talking about what had happened hours earlier. She had decided to wait for her daughter decided to go down and talk about it, so she prepared two cups with their favorite drinks just in time.

She knew that her daughter wouldn't resist have an afternoon snack with her.

"Where is Regina?" Emma spoke up, not wanting to even find her mother's eyes. Mary Margaret slowly lowered her cup with her eyebrows raised slightly.

"She had to return to her job, of course." She turned to stare at her, but Emma kept her eyes down, with her cup covering part of her face. "Emma…"

Emma sighed, slowly lowering the cup. "I will _not_ do it again, okay?"

"You could have talked to us." She closed her eyes for a few seconds, opening them again to find her daughter's eyes repentant. "Don't give me that look, Emma. I'm serious. And not just the fact that you ran away, is the fact that you were in the room of a man of twenty-one years."

"Mom, he's my friend. August is the only friend that I have now; please don't take him away from me?"

Mary Margaret sighed, watching Emma's face. That was true. August certainly was the only friend that Emma had in this town. She never had many friends – actually, she had only two real friends since she entered the school. Ava and Nicholas Zimmer, but they decided to get away from Emma for some reason. And now she was alone _again_.

In elementary school, many children didn't come close to her because she was her daughter, and nobody wanted to join a teacher's child. Maybe it was jealousy. In high school, practically no kid wanted to approach her because she was very close to Regina, as if she was her daughter. And no high school kid wanted to be close to someone close to the strict mayor.

Mary Margaret shook her head slightly, taking those thoughts from her mind. She should focus on that Emma had to learn that she couldn't be locked alone in a room with a man she barely knew. That August had lied to her, saying that he hadn't seen Emma. And he saw how worried she was. How could Emma trust blindly in someone? He had come to town to five days ago; she had to show the reality to her daughter.

"Emma, you can't trust someone you've known for only five days." She sighed slightly and crossed her arms over her chest. "You were there when we walked into his room?"

Emma swallowed hard and nodded slightly, lowering her head. "I told him that I should hide, and I told him to not let you get in... but he couldn't help himself when he saw how worried you were."

"So, I have to be grateful that even so he lied to me about my daughter?!" Emma raised her eyes a little surprised, noting the rise in her mother's voice. That was not common. "You're not seeing him in private, do you understand me?"

"What?" Emma snapped totally surprised and shocked. "He – he's my only friend!"

"I'm not totally fine with him, so you'll do what I'm telling you, okay?"

The blonde girl looked at her mother's eyes and could see the determination in them, but that just caused more anger in her. "He's the only friend I have! No kid wants approach to me because they think I'm the mayor's kid! Nobody ever wanted to approach me because I was your daughter, too! He's new here, and he's not afraid of Regina, so he's not afraid to be nice to me, why he can't be around me?"

"I'm not saying that. You can see him in Granny's, or on the street. Just that." Emma pressed her lips totally angry, and kept her eyes on her mother. Her posture and her eyes didn't change, so she just got up from her seat and headed for the door, totally mad. "Where you think you're going Emma?"

Emma stood in front of the door. "To see Regina."

"No. You're grounded, and you can't get out of here."

Emma frowned, and turned to face her. "But I want to go see Regina, now you're taking her from me, too?!"

"Emma, don't take that tone with me!" Mary Margaret raised her voice walking across the counter to approach her. "You're punished, and that means no exits. I'll talk to Regina and tell her to come here to see you."

Emma pressed her lips with more anger, and couldn't help moving her hands in frustration as she walked up the stairs and ran up, then slamming the door behind her.

Mary Margaret let out a deep sigh that she didn't think she was holding. It had been difficult. She hadn't had an argument that way with her daughter in years. She'd been a little rebellious a few months after she discovered she was adopted, but now all was more complex because at that time the discussions were about that she was not _"her"_ mom, and now the discussion was about her being in an enclosed space with a man that nobody knew. She couldn't trust this August. And if she couldn't trust him, there was no way she could let her little girl was alone with him. No way.

* * *

Regina came into her office after attending the meeting that she would have had to hours ago, but that hadn't have happened because she was busy looking for Emma. Of course she had delayed her meetings because Emma was first of all. Now the mayor was fine knowing that she was safe with Mary Margaret into their home. Letting out a tired sigh, Regina went to her desk and took a couple of papers, giving herself around to go to another meeting. But her cell phone rang.

She took it, and to see who was calling, she replied instantly. "Emma?"

_"Re – Regina..."_

Regina frowned leaving aside the papers to hear her voice all broken. She was crying. "Sweetheart what's wrong? Are you crying? What's happened?"

_"She's not letting me see the only friend I have! Why she's being like that? You have to talk to her!"_

Regina closed her eyes, trying to relax a little. "She's not letting you see him in private places, as in his room, or in places where people can't see you." She tried to explain as gently as possible, wanting nothing more than to stop hearing her sobs. "Honey, you can continue seeing him to Granny's. But you have to understand that he's not a person in whom we can trust now. He has come here five days ago."

_"And what about that? He's kind; he's the only one who understands me! Please, I know he's going to get away from me if I do this... and I will be alone... I don't want that, Gina!"_

The brunette shook her head slightly, knowing that she should remain in her position. This was something she and Mary Margaret had decided, both of them. Emma couldn't understand it yet, but it was for her sake. "Emma, this is the best for you. You can't see him indoors. If he really wants to be your friend, then he will agree with our decision."

_"What?! I thought you were on my side! But it's okay, because now I will be all alone again! And why is that?! Because everyone is afraid of you, so thank you very much Regina!"_

"Emma, wait..." She tried to keep talking, but soon she could hear how the call was over. She took her cell phone away from her ear, looking at it with a frown on her face.

Emma was right. At first she had no friends because she was the daughter of a teacher, and when she started high school, things got worse. In high school were adolescents, against the authorities, therefore, against her. She was the mayor, and also that she had the authority, she was feared in the town. No one wanted to get close to Emma when she started high school, either. It was something totally sad, but what could she do about it? She wasn't going to get away from her little girl for that. No way.

"Mayor Mills?" Regina lifted her eyes to see her secretary in her office door. "The gentlemen are waiting for you." She said shyly, as always.

Regina frowned. "Tell them to wait a little longer."

"B – but..." Regina quickly set her cold eyes on her, and that was enough for the younger woman nodded quickly and get out of her sight.

Regina took a breath before dialing a few numbers into her phone and putting it back in her ear. "Mary Margaret?"

_"Oh, Regina... Emma wanted to see you, but I told her she couldn't because she's punished, so if you can come after work..."_

"She called me and she was crying, and then she ended up getting angry with me." She glanced quickly at the clock hanging on her wall. "Could you talk to her? I will go as soon as I get out of this meeting that I have now."

_"She was crying? Are you sure?"_

Regina felt the concern in her voice, and she nodded but she remembered that she couldn't see her. "Yes, she was. Surely you were too hard on her."

_"I wasn't!"_ Mary Margaret quickly fought back. _"But she's very rebellious! She's out of control, but I'll talk to her."_

"Okay, but don't be rude Mary Margaret!"

_"I know how to talk to her, Regina, thanks. Bye."_

Regina rolled her eyes keeping her phone again. She settled her hair as she hoped for Mary Margaret could stop Emma's crying. Hell, this time she wanted to kill this woman not to be Snow White, but for hurting Emma. She sighed, thinking that she should know how to fix it, and giving a last look at the clock, she left her office.

Mary Margaret left her phone down and got to the stairs, taking a break before reaching the door of Emma's room. She took the handle, but when she tried to open it, she found that the door was locked. Letting out a sigh, the school teacher knocked on the door.

"Emma, let me in."

Silence. She waited for a few seconds, but when no sound was heard, she hit the door again, this time harder.

"Emma, open the door."

Silence again. Mary Margaret swallowed starting to feel desperate. She could tell that if her daughter was too angry with her, she could escape. No. Emma was ten when she'd done that, and now she was fifteen. She couldn't do it again.

"Emma!" She raised the tone of her voice and raised her fist to knock again on the door. But the door was open, and she found her daughter on the other side. Her chubby cheeks full of tears, and her eyes completely aqueous. Hell, it was true. She was crying. "Emma..." She said softly, feeling totally miserable for causing these tears in her little girl. "I'm sorry."

"No you're not." Emma said dryly, turning to head towards her bed. Mary Margaret sighed and walked into the room, knowing she had to stay calm. She knew how her daughter could answer if she was very angry.

"Yes, I am." She said gently, watching Emma sat on her bed and took her legs to her chest, hugging them and avoiding her gaze. "Clearly it wasn't my intention to make you cry, much less hurt you. But honey..." She came over her and sat down across from her. "I'm doing this because I want to protect you."

"I'm not a child, and you can't protect me from everything forever." The girl answered back angrily.

Mary Margaret sighed and stretched out her hand, touching her hand. "But I will protect you while I can. And even if I can't do it, I will find the way to do it." There was no response. She sighed again and squeezed her daughter's hand slightly. "I don't want to hurt you."

This time, Emma shook her head and met her eyes. And Mary Margaret felt the pain in her chest to see her child's tears. Emma rarely cried, she only did it when she really was hurt. "Then don't take away the only friend I have."

"You can see him how many times you want to Granny's, or on the street." She frowned curiously watching Emma's face. "Why do you want to see him in private, anyway?"

"Because I've had a great time with him today. He told me stories about his life, and I don't want to lose that. If he sees that I can't go there, he will think that I am a kid."

Mary Margaret couldn't help but let out a smile. "But you're a kid."

Emma narrowed her eyes in anger and jerked her hand away from her mother's. "Of course I am." She replied sarcastically, sitting further away from her.

Mary Margaret swallowed and shook her head slightly. "I won't change my mind, and when you're calmer, we'll talk." She got up and walked over to Emma, gently stroking her hair. "I love you, Emma." She moved closer and kissed her head before turning around and heading for the door.

"You can't tell me what to do." Mary Margaret froze in the middle of the way. She turned to find her daughter's eyes, but Emma had decided to see out the window.

"And why is that? Of course I can. I am your mother."

Emma pressed her lips angrily and turned her head to see her mother's eyes. "No, you're not."

Mary Margaret felt as if something had been stuck in the middle of her chest. She could feel the tears begin forming in her eyes, but she decided to keep quiet. She knew Emma. She knew how Emma could wear when she was really angry. And she'd already lived this once.

_"Emma, you can't continue to do these things! You can't continue fighting with other children!" Mary Margaret snapped in front of her eleven year old daughter._

_Emma looked at her totally mad. "They were saying things about Regina! I'm not going to let them do!"_

_"They can say whatever they want, but we know the truth." The brunette tried to say more gently._

_"I don't care; I will not let them say such things!" Emma responded angrily and raising her voice._

_"You will not return to fight with other children, it is clear?"_

_The little girl pressed her lips with rage and hit the ground hard with her __foot. "You can't tell me what to do! You're not even my mother!" She yelled at her before turning around and running away from her._

Mary Margaret turned her gaze to her fifteen year old daughter. She wanted to hurt her, she knew Emma. She knew she probably wanted to hurt her like she was hurt. She couldn't understand how her words could hurt more than she was suffering because she couldn't see her only friend in private.

"We'll talk later." Mary Margaret said before turning around and finally left the room.

"Nope, we're not." Emma said once her mother was out of her room.

The blond girl stood up from her bed and threw herself to the ground, pulling a rope formed by sheets from under her bed. She looked back to make sure her mother wouldn't open the door again. She couldn't listen any noise, so Emma approached the window and opened it slowly, and then she dropped the rope. She went to the stove that was right next to the window and tied the rope there, to then check that the rope was well clinging.

She came to the window and left there, clutching her hands to the sheets. She started down slowly, looking at the window to see if her mother appeared at any time. Once she was close enough to the ground, she jumped toward it.

Emma arranged her clothes and looked at her window with a small smile. Then she looked around to see that nobody had seen her. Yes, no one was around. She looked forward and frowned, remembering what she was going to do.

Today was Wednesday. Regina didn't use her car on Wednesday. She would do what she had to do.

* * *

Mary Margaret sat on her bed, sighing and wiping the tears that were in her cheeks. She couldn't know where Emma had taken that attitude of wanting to hurt the other if she really was angry. She didn't want to say anything about it, but she knew that even though Emma wasn't Regina's blood, she had taken many things of her. Like with her .

_"I am your mother."_

_"No, you're not."_

_"You're not even my mother!"_

She sighed slightly, knowing that this was a fit of anger. Emma wasn't thinking when she was angry, at all. She could remember how she'd found her eleven year old daughter after she had told her that she was not her mother.

_Mary Margaret walked hurriedly through the halls of the school, until she came to the back door and saw a little girl through the glass sitting on a bench, alone. She sighed in relief and went outside, slowly approaching her. Emma had her head down, so she couldn't see her. But Mary Margaret knew she knew she was coming._

_"I don't want you to run that way. I didn't know where you could be." Mary Margaret said, sitting down next to her, putting her hands to her sides. She didn't turn to look at her daughter, she kept her gaze forward. "I know you can be very angry for what others say about Regina, but I also get angry about it, listening to people saying things about her, but I can't hit them for that, Emma." She said softly, shaking her head slightly. "I know who Regina is. And she's fine about others talking about her while we know who she is. Did you know that?"_

_"I'm sorry." Emma whispered._

_She turned her gaze to the little girl forming a small smile and bringing her hand to stroke her blond hair. "It's okay, but you can't hit them again and..."_

_"No, I'm sorry because I told you that you weren't my mother." Slowly, Emma lifted her gaze to her, and Mary Margaret gasped to see her eyes filled with tears. "That's not true, you really are. I don't want another mother."_

_"Oh, sweetheart..." She tried to bring her hand to her face, but Emma quickly rushed to her, clinging to her tightly. "I know you don't think so, I know that you were very angry."_

_"But I hurt you anyway, I'm sorry Mom." She moved away from her and her eyes looked totally embarrassed and hurt. "You really are my mom."_

_Mary Margaret smirked and stroked her face, with a small smile. "Of course I am."_

Mary Margaret nodded slightly, knowing that Emma was very angry with her. She was very angry about the whole situation; because now she could remember Regina told her she ended up getting angry with her, too. But she wasn't going to change her mind, at least not until she could know this man and know what his true intentions were. She didn't know why, but she knew that he had some intention in this town.

* * *

Emma arrived at Regina's house and took the key out of her pants. She always wore a key to her home, and another key of Regina's house. Looking around, the girl opened the door and entered the house, not even bothering to close the door. She knew where she had to go to find what she was looking for.

She quickly ran up the stairs, heading towards Regina's room. She went to the nightstand and opened the top drawer, finding the keys there. She took them with a small smile and turned to run out of there quickly. Emma left the house and put the key in her pants again, now heading towards Regina's Mercedes. She went into the car, in the driver's seat, and put the keys where she should put them.

Totally nervous, Emma looked the shift lever and took it, starting to do what she always saw that Regina did. She swallowed and put her hands on the wheel, her fingers clutching at it. Carefully, she looked towards the foot pedals and placed her foot where she knew it was the pedal to accelerate. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the pedal and the car accelerated quickly, but totally freaked, Emma took her foot off the pedal.

"It's - it's okay." She muttered to herself, her fingers gripping the wheel tighter. "You've seen Regina do this..."

She swallowed nervously and went to press the accelerator as the car was moving forward. Emma pressed her lips totally nervous, but she didn't slow down, and carefully, she began to control the steering wheel. Letting out a small sigh, she continued to manage how slow it was possible. But she couldn't be seen, so watching on all sides and noting that no one could get in her way, she accelerated again, this time faster than before and making a noise that was heard all over the place. Emma looked in the rearview mirror, watching Graham left the sheriff's station, but she turned a corner just in time.

She continued driving as well as she could, but the nerves were becoming increasingly present. She knew something was going to end badly, but she just hoped it was her mother's or Regina's face when they realized what she had done. Taking a deep breath, Emma accelerated, her fingers clutching at the wheel and letting out a small smile to see that she was coming to where she wanted to go.

The sign said it perfectly.

_Leaving Storybrooke._

She was very nervous. She'd never done anything like this, but she could remember when she wanted to leave Storybrooke to search for her biological parents. But she couldn't do it, and she never had that idea again, but then August came to town, and his question had been echoing in her mind over and over again.

_"You never wanted to get out of here? Cross the line and see what is beyond this town?"_

Maybe if she left this town, everyone would see what she was: an adult. She couldn't let her mother and Regina continue treating her like a little girl. And if she did this, maybe she could make them see reality. Besides, she wanted to do it. Emma knew she could cross the line.

The girl turned her head for a second, her eyes taking in what was to her side and she had never seen it. It was the book. It was _her _book. She frowned, wondering why the book was there, but then remembering that Regina had the book. But how she hadn't seen it before? She turned her gaze forward, but then couldn't help re-set her eyes on the book, and see where the book was open.

Baby Emma was wrapped in her blanket. That blanket, which was very similar to hers. Emma; that baby named like her. That page had been the reason she'd believed that those fairy tales were true.

Emma shook her head slightly and turned her gaze forward, noting that she was getting close to crossing the town's line But her blue-green eyes focused on something that was a few feet of the car, and she open her eyes in despair to see it was a wolf. She should avoid it.

In a desperate attempt, Emma moved the wheel sharply to the side, turning the car sharply and causing it to lose the control. She closed her eyes to feel everything start turning, and realizing that it was the car that was spinning everywhere. Her fingers clutched at the wheel to hear the glasses breaking, and seconds later, she could feel glasses on her arms and hands. The movement didn't stop, the car continued to walk around as Emma felt all her body hurt, and when the car finally stopped moving, her head hit the steering wheel tightly, and she felt her head falling forward as the pain was stronger.

With her head resting on the steering wheel, but knowing that the car was completely destroyed and turned, Emma couldn't do more than sit still and feel the blood began to creep across her face. She sighed slightly and began to blink, feeling totally weak. Her vision began to become increasingly blurred, until the last thing she saw was her book open, this time on the page on which the Evil Queen gave the poisoned apple to Snow White.

Her mom and Regina.

Emma could imagine them as she closed her eyes for the last time, letting the darkness consume her.

* * *

**Hi! I'm sorry it took me time to update here, but I was more hooked writing my other story, haha. I didn't know how to finish the end of this chapter, I mean yes, I knew how it would end, but I couldn't put it into words until today. And I think I didn't have much time, either.**

**Anyways, thank you very much for your reviews! I love reading them, so please don't hesitate to leave me a review about this chapter. It's a long one, I should say, but hey, you could take it as reward for the time I took to upgrade?**

**Oh, and there will be more about Regina and Mary Margaret, of course! Much more now that Emma is**** hurt.**

**Thank you for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Here we have two mothers desperate for their daughter. **

**And something began to change in this chapter, too.**

* * *

_"Emma had a car accident; she's in the hospital now."_

Mary Margaret couldn't stop thinking about those words, his voice saying that her baby girl was in the hospital. All she could think was that she had to get to her daughter and check how she was. She bit her lip as her legs up the stairs as fast as they could, thinking that she should have listened more his words.

But she had been paralyzed.

David had called her, saying that he had found Emma near the edge of town. She couldn't even ask what her daughter was doing there that David had already said more serious words.

_"Emma had a car accident; she's in the hospital now."_

And that was all that Mary Margaret needed to go into shock. She knew that David was still talking to her, but she couldn't understand anything. She hung up and ran out of her house as she had never run before. Ever.

She finally reached the third floor. She knew this had to be bad. Patients who were on the third floor had never small problems. Her green eyes began to look everywhere, looking for a familiar face. She could see him in the distance.

"David!" Mary Margaret screamed approaching at him quickly. He lifted his head and got up at once, finding her in the middle way. "Where is she? How is she? I have to see her."

David sighed deeply. "She's here in, but doctors are sustaining her."

"What?! I'm her mother; I have to be with her!" She tried to pass him off, heading toward the door behind him. But her footsteps stopped as she felt her arm being retained. She turned around, finding David's eyes.

"Mary Margaret, please. Stay here." He tried to say as calm as possible.

But Mary Margaret didn't have time to think. Her daughter had had a car accident and she had to see her. Her mind quickly filled with images of her injured daughter, and she couldn't even stand the fact that someone was keeping her away from her. "This is my daughter!" She raised her voice, getting rid of David's grip.

She knew that she shouldn't speak in that tone to David; she knew he didn't deserve it, but she couldn't help it. She was not staying there outside while her daughter needed her. She was a very quiet person, but when it was about Emma everything changed. She was _her_ daughter, and it didn't no matter against whom or what she should fight to protect her or be with her. She would anything for her.

Mary Margaret turned around again and walked into the room without hesitation. The chaos in there was totally visible. The nurses were running around the room, as two doctors were on the side of Emma's bed, but she still couldn't see her daughter. She couldn't move. This had not happened before. The nurses seemed to be nervous and restless, and she couldn't know exactly what the doctors were saying but she could detect the worry in their voices. She froze in there.

"Ma'am?" A nurse said approaching her. "Ma'am, you can't be here." She took her arm, and Mary Margaret blinked, finding someone who wanted her out of the room.

"I'm not leaving!" Mary Margaret snapped, reacting. She got rid of her grip and walked quickly toward the bed. This time, she could see her daughter.

Emma was there lying, and Mary Margaret never saw her as fragile as now. Her clothes were torn, her hands bandaged but blood could still dye the white cloth. Her white arms were full of cuts. Her pants were torn at the knee, showing the great blow that she had there. And _more_ blood. She lifted her gaze to her face, watching the blood line that crossed through her right cheek. Her lip was split, and her head was bandaged. No.

This was not happening.

She began to feel short of breath, knowing that her daughter shouldn't be there. She'd left her in her room, she was punished. This wasn't supposed to happen. But it had happened. Her daughter was there, her baby girl, and she needed her.

"Mary Margaret, you can't be here." Doctor Whale said approaching to her, but before he could take her arm, she pulled away from him quickly.

"She's my daughter; you have to tell me how she is!"

Dc. Whale sighed, but actually, she took Mary Margaret's arm and led her to a corner of the room, knowing that this woman wouldn't leave the room. He knew Mary Margaret Blanchard; she was a quiet and gentle woman, but she was a mother. And when it came to Emma, she was completely different. So he started talking about Emma's wounds, trying to sound hopeful as possible. The girl was bad. She had many injuries, many shapes, and many scrapes, and he could say that one of her arms was broken. She'd lost a lot of blood, and he couldn't tell to a woman that her daughter was that bad. He knew Mary Margaret; he couldn't say abruptly to her that her daughter was very bad, because she would break into tears, while Regina would be in a rage at her side, insisting him to do his job. He was surprised not to see the Mayor here, but he knew it was a matter of minutes for the woman appeared.

He finished speaking and closed his mouth to see Mary Margaret's green eyes begin to let go tears. "What – what does that mean?" She asked in a weak voice.

He sighed slightly; there were times when he hated his job. "I don't know if she will be fine, but I'll do my best for her to be." He said sincerely, knowing that he shouldn't tell her lies hopeful. "She has many wounds, but I'm going to try to heal each of them..."

He was surprised to see her eyes darken as her face changed completely, filling up with anger. "You don't have to try! This is your job, you _have_ to save her!" She said furiously.

Well, Regina wasn't certainly here, but Mary Margaret began to learn how to take her place. "I will, Mary Margaret."

Her face softened and she shook her head slightly, as her eyes returned to normal. "I'm sorry, but please, you have to save her."

Dc. Whale nodded slightly. "If you don't want to go, stay here just to one side, we have to be with her."

"O – okay." She agreed, remaining standing in her place as he walked away from her and getting closer to Emma's bed again.

"Miss Blanchard?" A nurse approached at her. Mary Margaret changed her watery eyes to her, knowing that she knew this woman, but now she couldn't remember her name. "I know that this is not a good time, but this was in the car in which your daughter was." Mary Margaret looked at the book in her hands. "On the first page says it belongs to her."

Mary Margaret frowned, not knowing what to do. She didn't need this book now, but what it was doing this book in the car in which Emma was? She knew that Emma was the one who was driving, and she also knew that she was alone there, but this book? What was doing this book with her daughter?

She lifted her gaze to the nurse again. "Who owns the car in which my daughter was?"

"The mayor, Regina Mills."

The nurse quickly put the book in her hands and turned away from her, as Mary Margaret returned with her gaze to where her daughter was. What she was thinking? She didn't know how to drive, and she'd stolen Regina's car. She escaped from her room, and then she went to Regina's house, and then she stole her car. What the hell she was thinking? She swallowed although a lump in her throat was present, and lowered her gaze to the book in her hands.

She began to feel something weird inside her, as if she would remember something as she couldn't take her eyes off this book. Her fingers clung to it as the strange feeling was still inside her. What was wrong with her? Her daughter was hospitalized and she was feeling something strange for a damn book?

The door of the room opened abruptly and instantly a voice was heard. "Where's she?!" She didn't even have time to raise her eyes to see Regina there... some images began to invade her mind.

_She was sitting on the cold floor, holding a body in her arms as a woman was standing in front of her. She couldn't see her face. Not yet. But the woman was dressed in black, and all she could tell was that she hated this woman. And this woman hated her._

_Her head moved to the side and she saw men dressed in black entered the room._

_"The child?" The woman in front of her asked. She felt the desperation in her body, and couldn't help nail her look in the men, hoping to hear that they didn't know anything about the child._

_"Gone." One of the men said, and she breathed with relief. "It was in the wardrobe..." Her head turned and she found a small wardrobe with its doors open. "And then it was gone. There's no where to be found."_

_"Where is she?!" The woman demanded angrily._

_She frowned, smiling with hope, even with her __eyes on the wardrobe. "She got away..." She sighed slightly, and lifted her gaze to meet her brown eyes full of hate. "You're going lose. I know that now." She lowered her gaze to the body in her arms. She just knew she had to keep clinging to that body. "Good will always win."_

_"We'll see about that."_

She blinked hard, walking up a few steps back, almost losing her balance. She blinked again, thinking what the hell had been that. These images had been as memories. She was sitting on the floor, holding David's body? And the woman in black in front of her was Regina. Yes, her eyes and voice were different, but Mary Margaret knew it was her.

But she couldn't recognize the place, nor the time that that had happened. She never had David bloodied in her arms, and Regina had never been in front of them, enjoying that. No. That was impossible... but why it felt so real, then?

"Emma! How is she?!" Regina's voice reached her ears again.

Mary Margaret lifted her gaze, her fingers clutching the book. Suddenly something crossed her mind, something she never thought would happen. She had to keep her daughter away from Regina. _Wait_, what? Why should she do that? But as Regina started coming to Emma's bed and the doctors, before she could think twice, she was walking toward the mayor.

"You can't be here." Mary Margaret heard her own voice saying that, but she frowned knowing that she hadn't meant to say that. Where had that come from? But eventually, she reached out her hand and took Regina's arm, keeping her in her place. "Get out."

Regina turned to see who was able to try to get her out of here, because there was no way she was leaving. But she met Mary Margaret's eyes, but something wasn't right. Her eyes were full of anger and hatred? Regina frowned, thousands of thoughts crossed her mind, but knowing she must be totally desperate for Emma, and she was taking it out on her. She opened her mouth to speak, but her gaze dropped to what Mary Margaret had in her other arm.

_Emma's book._

"I'm sorry, ladies, but none of you can be here now." Dr. Whale said gathering his courage and starting to get the two women out of the room. He was quite surprised that none of them reacted, but he could see that they were not taking their eyes of each other. He took that opportunity and once they were out of the room, he closed the door firmly.

David immediately got up and walked towards women, but eventually his focus was on Mary Margaret. "Mary Margaret, are you okay?"

His voice seemed to bring her back to reality. Mary Margaret quickly lowered her gaze to where her hand was, and she noticed how strong she was taking Regina's arm. She didn't know what had been in her that she had reacted that way. She couldn't want to keep Emma away from Regina, and she couldn't have grabbed her that way, but she did. It was like something stronger than her had taken over her body. She raised her eyes and found Regina's eyes, totally confused. Yes, she couldn't recognize her actions, either.

She wanted to tell Regina that she didn't know why she had done that, but the words seemed not getting out of her mouth. At the same time, Regina opened her mouth to speak, but David without noticing it, moved his hand to her shoulder, squeezing it slightly.

"She'll be fine, Mary Margaret." He said in a soft voice.

Mary Margaret frowned, remembering how she had treated him minutes ago, but now she couldn't apologize. She was totally desperate for Emma, and he surely had understood that. Anyway, her green eyes met his blue eyes, and she felt the tears coming back quickly. She let out a sob as without knowing why, her body moved closer to David and she found herself crying in his chest, as his arms was moving around her body.

She was _so_ scared for her little girl, and for some reason, she just needed David to be there for her.

* * *

Regina turned away from them, sitting on the other side of the room, but not far from Emma's room. She sat in a chair and placed her purse in her lap, watching David and Mary Margaret sat in chairs on the other side of the room; she was still crying, and he was comforting her. She narrowed her eyes, watching them with more attention. She was trying to see if there was something in their eyes, some glitter or some clue that she might know who really were in front of her.

Emma's parents, or just her mother being comforted by her ex boyfriend?

Regina swallowed and lowered her gaze to the book in Mary Margaret's lap. She frowned, remembering Mary Margaret's attitudes. She could remember her words, and her cold eyes. She could remember how she grabbed her arm and for a few seconds, Regina felt she was in front of Snow White, her stepdaughter, the woman who would be willing to fight against her. She simply didn't want to believe it, but when she saw that Mary Margaret was holding Emma's book, everything was very easy to connect.

As Dr. Whale was taking them out of the room, she was staring at Mary Margaret's eyes, trying to find out if there was really Snow White, but she couldn't do it. She saw anger, confusion, pain, hatred. But when David spoke up, Mary Margaret came back to reality, because she blinked and her eyes changed; just the pain and confusion remained in them. And Regina couldn't understand what was happening.

Was Snow White there for a few moments and then she left? What the hell had happened?

She shook her head slightly and her eyes fixed on the door of Emma's room. Her little girl was there, hospitalized, full of blood and cables for each part of her small body. She felt her head spinning and a dagger in her chest to see how Emma was. She couldn't believe that her little Emma was in those conditions. How she had come to be that way?

Graham had called her. She knew something was wrong when he started to stutter. He first said that her car had been stolen, and she could remember the anger that had come to her, wanting to find the bastard who had done such a thing to her. She asked Graham if he had found who did it, and he replied that it was Emma.

Her world had stopped for a few seconds, not wanting to believe that that was true. How Emma had stolen her car? Yes, she had her house's keys, and she knew where she kept her car's keys, but she never thought that the girl might steal something from her. No, Regina _always_ gave everything to her. Why should she do that?

But she could remember when she blurted out to Graham that Emma couldn't drive, that that was absurd, she couldn't have stolen her car. But then Graham's words left her breathless.

_"That's the biggest problem... Emma had an accident with your car; and she's in the hospital now."_

She ran out of her office, without hearing her secretary's screams, and after leaving the hall, she recalled that she hadn't her car, so she started walking to the hospital as fast as she could. To her luck, Graham managed to find her in halfway in the sheriff's car, and he left her in the hospital, saying he would come when he had finished with the papers of her car. She should make those papers, but he knew she couldn't do that at that moment. So she had entered the hospital, she had sued for Emma's room, and once she knew where her girl was, she ran toward it, regardless of anything.

After having taken any thoughts about Snow White from her mind, she was beginning to panic, falling to reality. Emma didn't seem to be any good, and for what Graham had told her, her car had been a mess, so she didn't want or know how hurt Emma could be. But what the hell she was thinking?

Tears pooled in her eyes, and when she felt two of them fell on her cheeks, she quickly wiped them with her fist. Regina lifted her gaze to Emma's room once again. Mary Margaret had managed to be there for a while, know and see how she was, and although Regina knew it would be painful to see how Emma was, she needed to be there. She wasn't Emma's mother, but she was like her mother. She _raised_ her as Mary Margaret did.

The difference between both of them was that Mary Margaret had the title of Emma's mother.

She got up and walked to the room, but before she could grab the doorknob, she felt her arm being grabbed. She closed her eyes, letting out a sigh. She wasn't going to be hard with Mary Margaret, because both of them were probably feeling the same, but she would try to reason with her, she should understand that she needed to see Emma.

But when Regina turned around, she didn't Mary Margaret grabbing her arm. It was David. He stood behind her, taking her arm, as Mary Margaret was still sitting in a chair, looking into nothingness itself.

"What are you doing?" Regina asked completely cold.

David sighed slightly. "You shouldn't go in there. They're trying to do their jobs."

Regina felt the anger growing in her. She had no time to listen to his words. He couldn't be telling her if she should be in Emma's room or not. He had no claim on her. And though she might be a little paranoid and think that maybe he was still here because he remembered that Emma was his _biological_ daughter, she didn't give a demon about that. He could be her biological father, but although Charming were this man in front of her, she wouldn't let him have something to say about what she could do related to Emma or not. He was nothing in her life.

"Who the hell you think you are to tell me if I have to go in there or not?!" She snapped letting out her anger, and getting rid of David's grip abruptly.

"Regina, just let them do their jobs. You can't be interrupting them."

"I don't even know what are you doing here, so leave me alone, okay David?" But when she turned around again, she felt her arm being grabbed again. She turned around again, and moved away from him sharply. "Just stay away from us!" She screamed totally furious. "You have no right to be here, and you do not have any rights on Emma, so you can't tell me if I can see her or not, because she's like my daughter, did you hear me?!"

"Regina, stop." Mary Margaret's weak voice intervened. She got up from her seat and walked over to them, her eyes tired and watery. "Please, just stop it."

"I wanna see her." Regina said calmer now.

"And you think I don't want that? But we have to let them do what they have to do to save her." Her voice almost broke on the last two words, unable to believe she was saying this about her daughter. Soon she felt David's hand on her arm. "David, could you bring us some water?"

He looked to Regina for a few seconds, but then his gaze returned to her, and nodded slightly. "Okay."

David walked away from them, and Mary Margaret sat back in her seat, shifting her gaze to the book that was on the seat at her side. She turned her gaze forward again. She couldn't be thinking about that book now. Her daughter was there, perhaps fighting for her life, and she was out there, unable to be with her . She rested her elbows on her legs and covered her face before starting to sob.

Regina felt utterly miserable for Mary Margaret's tears, but she could feel what the other woman was feeling. She slowly sat at her side and sighed deeply, not knowing what to do. She wanted to break into tears too, but she couldn't. She had no strength, but she knew that if she didn't remember being 'The Evil Queen', she would have broken down in tears. Probably not as much as Mary Margaret was doing, but she would have done it.

Knowing who was sitting beside her, Mary Margaret knew she could speak freely about her feelings. She knew she could talk to David, but he wasn't feeling what she was feeling. That feeling of knowing that your child is in great danger and you can't do anything about it. She knew that David couldn't feel it, but Regina could.

"I – I can't lose her."

Regina began to feel tears sliding down her cheek, but this time she did nothing to dry them or stop them. She sighed heavily, and before she could think, she was throwing an arm around Mary Margaret's back. She began to caress her shoulder weakly knowing that right now she couldn't think about Snow White.

This was her best friend. And she needed her. Both of them needed to each other.

"She's gonna be okay. She has to." Regina whispered softly, resting her head on her friend's shoulder, letting their heads get together with each other.

In their lives there never were very moments in which both of them at that time were as this, or at least embracing one another. There were _two_ moments, actually.

The first time was when one day Mary Margaret asked her about if she ever had a great love, and she told her what she remembered. Her false memories about Daniel. He was killed in her memories, anyway. And she'd broken into tears telling her how her fiancé had been killed by her mother because she didn't approve their relationship. She hadn't embraced Mary Margaret at the time, but the other woman had embraced her, and Regina just cried on her shoulder as she could know that Mary Margaret was dropping her own tears too.

The second time was when David had chosen to stay with Kathryn although she had regained her memories. Regina noticed that Mary Margaret had taken that very well, but she knew that the woman would break sometime. She remembered that she was in Mary Margaret's house, because Emma had recently learned she was adopted, and for some reason, she wanted Regina closer to her than ever. The three of them were watching a movie on TV, and Emma had fallen asleep. She offered to take the girl to her bed, so when she came downstairs, she found Mary Margaret crying. She sat at her side and before she could know, Mary Margaret was crying over her. She knew she had to do what best friends do; she should be there for her, and she had to hate the person who had caused her tears. And so she did.

And now they were there, trying to comfort one another. For Emma. She had her arm around Mary Margaret, and her head was on her shoulder, but the other woman had her face uncovered by one of her hands, and had found her own hand, grabbing her and giving it a little squeeze. The tears didn't stop falling down their faces, though. They knew that Emma was not fine and they should be together, wanting the same thing.

Wanting their little girl to be fine and smiling again.

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**Hi guys! I'm glad that this time I didn't take so long to think about what I wanted to write. And I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Well, now Emma is in danger, but I at least wanted to make clear that at this time, Regina and Mary Margaret were just that; Mary Margaret and Regina, totally frightened by Emma's fate, and not The Evil Queen or Snow White. And as you could see, there was some appearance of Snow. I'm very curious about what you all think about it. Do not hesitate to leave me a review!**

**I checked twice if there were grammatical errors, but I can always get an error, so I'm sorry if you see any of them!**

**And thank you very much for reading!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Now yes, as Regina once said, things are going to change radically.**

**Hope you like it!**

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She was so tired. But she knew that she wasn't where she should be. Her head began to ache, she began to feel a great burning in her legs, and when she tried to move her right arm, she clenched her jaw, feeling great pain. What the hell was going on?

And then everything went back in her head. She had escaped from her home because her mother wasn't letting her see August in private, so she should show her that she was an adult. Regina was on her side as well, so she should prove to both of them what she was capable of. She took Regina's car though she could not drive, and when she was about to leave Storybrooke, a wolf crossed her path. And she had to dodge it, driving to either side, making the car begins to spin everywhere.

How stupid she had been.

Emma frowned slightly and began to open her eyes, feeling completely weak and tired. But she had to know if she was still in the car, or someone had been able to find. She could remember that the last thing she remembered before closing her eyes, were her mother and Regina.

There was light. She began to see light as her eyes was opening. The ceiling was white, and her head moved almost automatically to one side, trying to see where she was. There was a woman dressed in white, and she frowned, knowing she was a nurse. So she was in a hospital.

Someone had found her and took her to the hospital, and Emma closed her eyes again, knowing that surely, her mother and Regina were out of the room. And she didn't want to even imagine what they were going to say to her. It wasn't supposed that she had to end up here; she should leave Storybrooke, find the nearest town, and then came back to her house. They should never have known that she ran away, first of all.

"Doctor, she's awake!" A woman screamed, and Emma opened her eyes again. Dr. Whale was on the other side of the bed in a second.

"Emma, can you hear me?" She nodded, unable to find her voice to speak. Her throat was very dry, she was dizzy and her whole body ached. "Okay, it seems that antibiotics came out perfectly. I'm glad you're okay, but can you talk?"

"Whe – where is my mom?"

"She's here, outside the room, I'm calling her now, but first I have to check you out, all right?"

Mary Margaret lifted her gaze to heard footsteps approaching her. Regina was sitting at her side, and David was at her other side, so she didn't know who it could be. But actually, when she saw who it was, it wasn't a surprise. Graham.

"How is she?"

"No one has come out to say anything." David answered, and Mary Margaret thanked he was there. She didn't want to talk to anyone, and certainly Regina never wanted to talk to anyone when she was in a bad mood.

Strangely, Mary Margaret was calmer than before. Maybe it was her mother instinct. She had faith that Emma would be fine, because she was certainly the feistiest girl she could know. It wasn't because she was her daughter, it was Emma's spirit. She was calm, but Emma was someone completely different. Perhaps it was Regina who encouraged her to be that way. Her daughter was a girl who fought for what she wanted, but Regina had other methods to get what she wanted. She just hoped she was right, and now her little girl was fine.

A little noise was heard, and she got up immediately to recognize that it was a door opening. Regina was already standing in a second, and she hurried to stand next to the mayor to see Dr. Whale out of the room. She sighed slightly, hoping to hear good news.

"She's awake, she's fine." Whale said quickly, wanting to calm nerves in all the presents. Mary Margaret sighed in relief and quickly felt the tears in her eyes again. She opened her mouth to speak, but Whale spoke up. "She wants to see you, Miss Blanchard."

She didn't have to think twice; Emma was awake and she was fine. In the twinkling of an eye she was already inside the room, watching the nurses approach her, but she assumed they were not going to say anything to her, just going to leave her alone with her daughter. She turned away from the door, and the nurses left the room, letting Mary Margaret could focus fully on Emma.

Her eyes focused on the girl who was sitting on the bed. A band still covered part of her head; her left arm was injured with cuts and scrapes, while her right arm was plastered. She sighed and raised her eyes to find her beautiful face; the brand through her right cheek was still there. But her green eyes were open, and she was looking at her with fear and guilt.

"Hi," She whispered faintly. And it was all that Mary Margaret needed to break into tears again.

Emma was surprised by how quickly her mother ran to her and hugged her with a force she didn't think she might have. She closed her eyes, enjoying her warmth, knowing that after that the sermon would come. She was clutching her broken arm too, but she tried not to care about that, or at least she tried.

A small moan escaped from her mouth, and her mother began to move away from her quickly. "I'm sorry..." She murmured, lowering her eyes to her broken arm. Then her eyes went back up, and Emma felt her heart contract to see her tears. She hated to see her mother crying.

Now she could think clearly. She was not thinking clearly when she wanted her mother to suffer the same way she believed to be suffering because she had forbidden your August. She had told her that she was not her mother. Hell, how many times she was going to make the same mistake? She was her mother, and she could not imagine another woman as her mother was not this woman in front of her, crying because she was alive.

"What were you thinking Emma?" And there had begun. She wouldn't say anything about it; she deserved it, her broken arm and all her wounds were there to make her remember it. "How could you steal Regina's car? How could you steal something from someone? I did not raise you that way. See where you end up for your rebellion." Emma dropped her eyes to her lap, gulping in her throat still dry. "I was so... so scared that you could..."

Emma raised her eyes and saw the pain in her mother's eyes. She knew what she meant, but she was not able to say. "I – I won't do it again." And she really meant it, she was not driving at least until she was 18.

"Of course that thou you will not. You're seriously punished; you can't leave the house after school, you can't see August in anywhere, you can't steal anything from anyone, and by over all things you're not going to run away from home again!" Emma opened her eyes a little surprised at her tone. Her mother could be severe, but she had never been this way. It wasn't as if she could do many things after school, she wouldn't steal anything from other people, but she couldn't see August? Perhaps she had not understood after all that he was her only friend? "Do you understand me?"

"Wait, no..." She tried to say, but her mother shook her head quickly.

"No, you can't say anything about this! Emma! You could have died! You can understand that you stole Regina's car and you almost kill yourself?" She understood that, but she was not going to ask why she did it? "And you're going to listen to me on this. I'm your mother, despite what you think, I am your mother. And you have to do what I say now."

Mary Margaret sighed slightly after saying all those words. She didn't know how angry she was with her daughter until now. Yes, she was very worried, but Emma was fine now, and she needed her to understand the seriousness of the situation. She could have died for her stupidity to steal a car and drive it without even knowing how. Emma had always been a special girl; with a lot of energy and her own thoughts, but Mary Margaret never thought she could be so rebellious and disobedient. It was truly difficult raising a teenage.

She saw a frown occur in Emma's face, but when she opened her mouth to speak, a noise was heard from the door. Mary Margaret turned away, watching Regina hover her head. The mayor set her eyes on her, and then on Emma. A big smile appeared on her face and before Mary Margaret could say anything, Regina was walking towards Emma, quickly.

"Emma!" Regina said approaching the girl. She hugged her gently, having seen seconds before the plaster on her arm.

Mary Margaret frowned, feeling something strange in her. It was very strange, as if she had the need to remove Regina from Emma, because she was scared. _What?_ Why she would be scared of Regina? But she was not afraid of Regina, she was afraid of what Regina could do to Emma. But that was more illogical yet, because there was no way in the world that Regina could do something to Emma. That could never happen. But...

"_Can you promise me that our child will be safe? Can you guarantee it? Because he can!"_

"_Alright, for our child."_

"Regina, you can't be here." The words came out of her mouth before she could think them. She didn't change her stance and serious look when Regina turned around, though.

"What? But I wanted to see her. I wanted to make sure she was okay." Regina said puzzled, not knowing why she should explain why she wanted to see Emma. But then she narrowed her eyes and looked more closely at Mary Margaret's eyes; there was something strange. Again.

"But I have not finished talking to her." Mary Margaret argued, feeling terrible about not knowing why she had all these mixed feelings within her.

"I'm sure that I can witness what you have to say to her, as many times as I have." Regina closed her arms over her chest, still being confused by her attitude, but knowing that she wouldn't give up.

Emma frowned, noting that there was tension in the air. She knew that they were not getting along as usual, but it was never this tension. "Uh, what's going on?"

"Nothing, your mother seems to be a bit stressed out yet." The mayor said, turning around and returning to find Emma's eyes. She frowned slightly and lifted her hand to touch her cheek wound, seeing the great wound that there was. "Oh, Emma..."

"The nurses let me see myself in a mirror, I know it. I am awful now."

"What? No, I can't believe how hurt you are now..." Regina continued with a sad look. "What were you thinking?"

Emma looked at her mother. She seemed frozen in her place, so she turned her eyes towards Regina. Her brown eyes were sad, curious. Very different from her mother's eyes. She was angry, while Regina was still worried about her. She frowned, knowing that that was not normal. Regina would have to be the one that should be totally angry, and her mother would have to be the one who should be worried.

"I just wanted to show you that I'm an adult." Emma sighed slightly. "I was driving moderately normal, but then I saw the book it was in the passenger seat, and then I saw... I saw the wolf was there, a few meters from me. And I had to dodge. And then... everything started to spin, everything started to hurt... and then I passed out." She raised her eyes and returned to find Regina's eyes, feeling the anguish and pain to reach her. She was not trying to look like the victim, but she should say what she felt. "The last thing I could imagine was you two. I was very scared."

"It's okay now, dear." The brunette nodded slightly, stroking Emma's hair. "We are very relieved that you're okay now. You can't do that again. Ever."

"I know." Emma murmured, feeling her eyes fill with tears.

"The book..." Mary Margaret said suddenly, getting closer to them. Both of them moved their eyes toward her, confused. "What was the book doing there?"

"Well, I left it there yesterday." Regina said still not understanding why Mary Margaret wanted to know more about the book. "How can you be asking about that in this situation?"

"Please, don't start..." Emma whispered, knowing the tone in Regina's voice.

"No, but I'm very curious how you can be so intrigued about this book when Emma just got out of a dangerous situation." Regina crossed her arms over her chest again, with her cold and serious look on the other woman.

"Wait, where's the book?" Emma intervened, changing her look from one woman to another.

"It's outside. Apparently it survived without a scratch." Regina said.

"I want to see it." Regina quickly turned, looking at her with confusion.

"Why do you want it?"

Emma couldn't tell what she had felt when she saw those pages in the book. The pages in which the Evil Queen gave the poisoned apple to Snow White. She couldn't tell Regina that was the reason that they were the last thing she could imagine. Regina was not an Evil Queen, and her mother was not Snow White, but they were the first thing she thought when she saw that page. And now she wanted to see that book.

"I just want to see it. Can you bring it?"

Regina didn't like the idea at all, but she knew that Emma didn't believe in those things. It wouldn't hurt anyone that she could check that damn book and then she would forget about it again. "Okay."

As Regina left the room, Emma returned her gaze to her mother. She seemed lost in her own thoughts. But her serious and angry look was still there. She didn't say anything about that, because she knew she deserved her mother's anger. Regina came back into the room with the book in her hands, clearly upset.

"Here it is." She moved closer to her, and Emma stretched out her hand to take it. Once she took it, she placed it in her lap and began to look closely at the cover. "What you want with it, Emma?"

Emma ignored the little bit of concern that she noticed in her voice. She didn't know why Regina had put so paranoid about that book. "I don't know, I just..."

Mary Margaret blinked slightly and fixed her gaze on her daughter. She realized what she had in her lap, so she frowned to see it. That book was something strange, and she still couldn't figure out what it was. Emma reached out her hand once more, and she opened the book. And Mary Margaret could swear that she felt like a small gust of wind hit her face.

"_You're a… girl."_

"_As long as you hold the spirit of goodness in your heart, I shall never leave you."_

"_Aren't you a real Prince Charming?"_

"Emma, what do you want to see in this book that you haven't seen already?" Regina reemphasized, and Emma had to roll her eyes slightly.

"Why are you so against this book now?" She lifted her gaze to Regina, but for some reason, she turned her eyes to her mother for a few seconds, and couldn't take her eyes off her again. Her green eyes were filled with tears and she seemed to be shaking a little. "Mom, what's wrong?"

Regina turned and frowned to see Mary Margaret's face. She was all white, with her eyes on the book, but with tears in them. "Mary... Margaret?"

"_You saved my life."_

"_I told you I'd find you. No matter what you do, I will always find you."_

"_Love… true love... is magic. And not just any magic, the most powerful magic of all. It creates happiness."_

"Mom, what's going on?" Emma asked again, with more concern. She seemed to be completely rigid, the tears had started to slide down her cheek, and her eyes were completely lost. "Mom!"

Mary Margaret lifted her gaze, and Regina gasped to see her eyes. Lucky for her, her green eyes fixed on Emma, but Regina didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. All she knew was that she could see Snow White coming back in the middle of that confusion.

"Emma..." Mary Margaret murmured walking slow steps toward them, but apparently she got sick, so she stretched her hands just in time to take Emma's bed.

"Mom, you're not okay, Regina call the nurses!" Emma said in despair, not knowing what to do. Her legs ached, and she still didn't have enough strength to get up. Regina had to go look for help, but she seemed unable to move either. "Regina!"

"_Regina!"_

"_I'm Snow… Snow White."_

"Regina..." Mary Margaret murmured in a voice very low, but Regina could hear her perfectly. And she could see her hands gripped tightly – in anger – to the bed.

"Emma..." Regina whispered, walking backwards, getting closer to the girl.

"Help, please, someone come and help!" Emma started screaming to see that Regina wouldn't go to seek help. She couldn't stand to think about why she wasn't going to do it, she could only scream. "Somebody help!"

"_Somebody help me!"_

David and Graham broke into the room quickly, and Emma didn't hesitate to point to her mother, not knowing what to say. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but she needed help. David was the one who ran to her, and placed at her side, placing his hands on her back.

"Mary Margaret? What's wrong?" He asked to see her state.

"_I love you, Snow."_

"_But I don't love you. I don't even remember you."_

"_Well I don't care; the only thing I care about is that you don't forget who you really are. I'd rather die than let you fill your heart with darkness."_

"What's wrong with her?" Emma said quickly, feeling her eyes fill with tears.

"Graham, go get the nurses." David said quickly, without removing her gaze from Mary Margaret. When he heard the door close, he sighed slightly. "Mary Margaret? Can you hear me?"

Emma watched her mother began to raise her head slowly until she found David's eyes. The girl saw something she never saw in her eyes; a twinkle, and the tears that were there. A small smile came to her lips as she stretched her hands to touch David's face.

"Emma, we have to go." Regina said quickly, knowing she had to get Emma out of here. She had to take Emma with her, before Snow could take her from her. "Emma, we gotta go!" She screamed, taking Emma's arm.

"What? We can't go, what are you saying?" Emma said quickly, totally confused.

"Yes, we have to leave your mother here for nurses to check her, you must come with me." She turned her eyes towards Mary Margaret, verifying that she was still concentrated in David. "Emma, come on!"

"No, Regina..."

"I'm sorry, but I have to do this." Regina said finally. She took her arm and literally pulled her out of bed. Feeling her feet on the floor, Emma felt her knees shake, but Regina quickly put her arm around her waist.

"Regina, I'm not leaving!"

David moved his gaze to Regina and Emma, still with Mary Margaret's eyes on him. "Regina, what are you doing?"

"You just take care of her!" She yelled at him, starting to drag Emma to the door.

"No, no, no! Regina, let me go!" Emma said, trying to get rid of Regina's grip.

"Regina, she doesn't want to leave, she just woke up, leave her here!" David said harshly to see Emma's face. She was trying to get rid of Regina's grip but her worried eyes were on Mary Margaret.

"You're not telling me what I can do or not with her!"

"Regina, stop it!" Emma continued screaming, trying unsuccessfully to get away from her. She didn't know what the hell was wrong with Regina now, but she knew she had to stay with her mother. But she had no strength. "Please!"

"I'm sorry Emma, but this the best for both of us."

David moved his eyes to them again, watching them for the last time. Regina had managed to open the door and pull Emma out of the room, closing the door again. He wanted to go after them and take Emma away from Regina, but he couldn't leave Mary Margaret. Something was very wrong with her .

"Mary Margaret?" He said, this time in a softer way. He looked at her eyes again; she was looking at him with a twinkle. The smile was still on her face, as if she had not heard Emma's screams. "What's going on?"

"You..." She whispered in amazement.

"_No one has ever been willing to die for me."_

"_No one you can remember."_

"Charming..."

And as soon as she said that, despite seeing his confused eyes, she knew he was _her _Charming. And it all started to turn in her head; all images began arriving in her mind quickly and this time clearer. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling David's hand holding on to her waist. Everything in her head was spinning, but then everything stopped when she could hear something in the distance.

A baby's cry.

_"We have to give her her best chance."_

Her baby. She had a child. Her baby, who was taken from her, because she was the savior, and she had to be safe from Regina's curse. Because Regina could destroy her life, she had destroyed the lives of many people, but she wouldn't let her destroy her child's life. Her baby was going to be away from her.

_"Goodbye, Emma."_

Now it all made sense. The baby girl who appeared at the door of her house was the same baby she gave birth. It was for that reason that she felt a strong connection with her , because she really was her baby. She was able to raise her daughter without even knowing it. She always said that Emma would always be her baby, no matter what, but now it was a little different. Emma was really her baby.

"Where's Emma?" Her voice was raspy, and she could barely say those words, but she felt David's grip to hold on to her.

"Regina took her from here. Are you... are you okay?"

Mary Margaret felt her breath begin to be more rapid. She couldn't wake him now; apparently the curse had made them all lose their memories of who they really were. Regina's curse. Surely, Regina knew from the beginning all this. Regina was from the beginning enjoying everyone's unhappiness. It was _all_ a lie.

But what about Emma? It was Regina's love for Emma a lie, too?

"Mary Margaret?"

She shook her head slightly, knowing she couldn't focus on him now. Both of them had made a promise fifteen years ago, although he couldn't remember it. They had promised that they would keep her child away from her wicked stepmother. And now she couldn't think clearly; all she could think about now was that she had to get to Emma, and take her away from Regina. She would let clear to her stepmother that Snow White had came back.

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**First of all, thank you very much for your reviews! I loved reading these reviews, I hope you now see what y'all think about this.**

**And yes, now Snow's back. It may be a little early, but it was necessary. Now everything is going to be more intense, more complex, and more strange to Emma, of course. And if you have any questions, just leave it here and it will be answered in the next chapter. I will not say anything else, I just hope to see how you took this, haha.**

**Thank you for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

Her legs couldn't take it anymore. But Regina was forcing her to continue in spite of her pain in her arm, her head and her legs. Her whole body ached, but Regina seemed not to care. And she couldn't do anything against it but to continue walking, because she had no strength to fight against the brunette. She had stopped asking for explanations when they left the hospital through the back door. Obviously though she wanted to stay with her mother, she wouldn't do a show in the hospital, making everyone believe that Regina was kidnapping her. Because it wasn't that way. She surely must have an explanation. Right?

"Regina, please... I can't walk anymore." Emma didn't even know where they were heading; they went out through the back door of the hospital and now they were walking through the forest. "Where are we going?"

"To my father's vault." Regina answered without stopping her walk and with her look forward.

She raised her eyes to the sky, watching the dark clouds forming there, although the night was about to fall. "Regina, I need to stop, I can't..." Her feet tripped over something and having no strength, she almost fell forward if it weren't for Regina that at felt a grip on her hand immediately turned around and took her before she could fall. She sighed deeply, feeling a great pain in her head. She raised her eyes to find Regina's eyes. "Please."

Regina looked away, seeing if anyone was around. She knew she couldn't be making this to Emma; she was hurt, and she needed to be attended, but she couldn't be taken from her. And Snow White was going to do that. They needed be hidden at least until she could talk to Mary Margaret and make her think clearly. But now, she had to stop and wait. Emma was hurt and tired; she needed to stop for her. Although she knew the girl would start asking why they were doing that again.

"Okay..." She murmured.

As she was heading towards a large tree that was near them, taking Emma's good arm, she began to think of excuses. Emma was going to ask why she had taken her from the hospital, why they were going to her father's vault. Regina sighed again as Emma sat on the trunk, letting out a sigh of relief.

"What's going on?" Regina dropped her gaze to her, finding her confused eyes. "Why you've taken me from the hospital? Why are we going to your father's vault?"

"Your mother had to be staffed by nurses." It was the first excuse that came to her mind. And she had to be careful with what she said; Emma had taken the habit of knowing when someone was lying. "And you had to come with me."

Emma frowned, still confused. "Why?"

Regina sighed and sat down beside her, taking one of her hands tightly and looking intently at Emma's eyes. She could say something that was _really _true. "Emma, I love you. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah... of course I know that. But what has that to do with anything?"

"You're like my daughter, and I couldn't stand being away from you." She swallowed although a lump was forming there. "Your mother and I... started to have differences. And now... everything will change. Now we have more differences and... I'm scared that she can take you away from me."

Emma let out a small laugh. "Are you crazy? Why would she do that? I know that she and you are having problems, I don't know why you're so different but... she won't take me away from you. That could never happen."

Regina smiled slightly at Emma's innocence. She wished it could be just as she was saying. She raised her hand and stroked her cheek, the good one. She wanted more than anything that she could go back and stop the arrival of her memories, or stop Snow's memories. But that couldn't happen. And it hurt. It already hurt her that she was best friends with her enemy, and now she had lost all kinds of friendship. But it hurt her more than anything that Emma was in the middle of everything. Her Emma would be the only disadvantage in this; because there was no way she was going to let her girl be away from her. And she knew that Snow would certainly be thinking the same thing.

"Come on Emma, please, you have to keep walking."

"You haven't answered me why we are going to your father's vault." She stared Regina's eyes, remembering her last words. For some reason, she was afraid that her mother would take her away from her, and she had taken her from the hospital. And now they were going to her father's vault. Emma blinked in surprise at the realization. "Are you... are you _kidnapping_ me?"

"No." Regina didn't hesitate to respond, squeezing her hand lightly. "Because you have to understand that this is the best for both of us."

"You _are_ kidnapping me..." Emma murmured, moving her hand slowly away from hers. "Regina, how can you think that my mom would do such a thing? She wouldn't take me away from you! What makes you think she would do that?"

Regina lowered her eyes furiously. Emma wouldn't understand this, and she wouldn't tell the truth. She couldn't tell her that she really was The Evil Queen, because that would do nothing more than Emma hating her, because she would know all the evil things she did, she would know she always wanted to ruin her mother's life, and she created a curse to destroy her happiness. Emma would hate her, and she wouldn't let that happen. No matter the cost.

At Regina's silence, Emma frowned, knowing she had enough of this. She couldn't let her kidnap her just because she was scared for something stupid. Because it was really stupid that she was thinking that her mother would take her away from her. That was illogical. She and her mother were best friends, since she could remember. Even she'd heard that they began to approach closer when her mother adopted her, and as long as she could remember, they were always there for her. It was illogical that her mother would want her to stay away from her, or that Regina would want the same. Both of them had raised her, none of them could want to keep the other from her.

"I want to go with my mom." Emma said, standing on her feet with the little strength she had. Regina got up immediately.

"No." She took her arm and Emma turned her gaze to her, confused and angry. "You have to stay with me."

"So you really have to kidnap me, because I won't go with you by my will."

"Emma, don't make me..."

Emma narrowed her eyes at her, hurt and surprised. "Would you be willing to make me go with you?"

Regina said nothing. She didn't want to do this, she didn't want to force her to do anything, but she had no choice. Emma was the only good thing she had in her life. Before it was she and her best friend; they were a family, but now everything had gone to hell, and she wasn't going to lose the only good thing she had. Emma was all she had. So she took a deep breath and tightened her grip on Emma's arm and began to walk forward again.

"Regina, no!" Emma began to say, trying to get rid of her grip. But it was in vain. She was very weak. "Let me go! Now!"

"Emma, shut up." She tried to speak as smoothly as possible.

"No, you have to let me go! Let me go! Get away from me!" The struggle was becoming stronger as Emma's words were beginning to ache increasingly to Regina. "You're not my mother; you have to let me go!"

Regina quickly turned and took Emma on both of her arms, knowing that although she was very angry, one of her arms was broken and plastered. "Enough!" She yelled at her, causing a big surprise to Emma, who kept staring at her in silence. "You're going to stop struggling, and you're coming with me, because I will not let nobody, _no one_, take you from me. Do you understand me?"

Emma didn't know what else to do to make it clear to her that her mother couldn't do that. Regina was blind, and she actually was willing to take her with her . Her green eyes were filled with anger as she tried to pull away again, but Regina tightened her grip on her arms. "Let me go!" She cried.

"Emma, just stop it." She turned again, taking one of Emma's arms and began to walk again. Although Emma continued to struggle in her grip.

"How can you be doing this to me?!" Tears began to gather in her eyes. Indeed they were tears of anger and impotence than pain. "Please!"

Regina closed her eyes to hear her voice cracking. She continued walking, though. She had to keep thinking that this was best for them and that Emma would understand soon. "I'm sorry..."

"Then let me go!" She screamed loudly.

"LET HER GO!"

Regina froze in her place to hear her voice. She frowned and turned away, as confused as Emma, watching Mary Margaret running towards them. Unwittingly, she'd lost strength in Emma's arm, and Emma to see her mother, didn't hesitate to run to her. Or at least walk fast.

"Mom!" Mary Margaret found a way through, wrapping her arms around her tightly. "Mom, are you okay?"

"Are you okay?" Mary Margaret quickly asked, closing her eyes and holding on to her daughter. She stroked her blond hair as tears came to her eyes to the realization that this beautiful girl was that little baby she had within her nine months. "Emma..." She whispered, feeling her tears starting to come out of her eyes.

"I was so scared for you." Emma moved away from her and Mary Margaret soon placed her hands on her face, a smile forming between her tears. "What happened to you?"

She couldn't tell her what she had remembered, not yet. She would have to tell her, but this was not the time. She had found her after the scare to believe that her stepmother had kidnapped her daughter.

_Regina._

Mary Margaret looked beyond Emma, observing Regina's paralyzed figure there. She pursed her lips in rage and clenched her fists, pulling Emma gently from her path. She started walking towards Regina, but she had no time even to think that this woman had been her best friend, not even everything that they spent together. All she could think was that she was the Evil Queen; and she had taken her baby from her. _Twice_.

"You..." Mary Margaret muttered as she was close to Regina. Once close enough, she didn't hesitate. Her hand went up and she slapped her.

"Mom!" She heard Emma shouting behind her. Her voice was what made her not continue doing things that Emma shouldn't see.

"How dare you to take her from the hospital?!" She yelled at Regina, who was lifting her head, watching her with her eyes full of hatred. She didn't care. "You can't take her from her because I am _her_ mother!"

She didn't even see Regina's fist going into her face. She felt a blow on her cheek, and then she fell to the ground, hearing her daughter screaming. "Regina!"

"You think I didn't know what you were going to do?!" This time Regina shouted. "You're not taking her from me!"

That was it. Mary Margaret left Snow White come out to the surface; she should do what she had to. She got up in a second and took Regina, pushing her against a tree with violence. Regina wasn't far behind though; she took her arms as well and pushed her to another tree nearby.

"What are you doing?!" Emma cried desperately. "Stop!"

But none of them cared. Snow almost jumped on Regina, pushing her against the previous tree again. This time with more force, so Regina felt the impact with more violence. She clenched her teeth and when Snow was close enough to her, before she could hit her, she hit her in her face again. With her fist. But this time Snow didn't fall. She touched her injured cheek and raised her fist to hit her as well.

"PLEASE, STOP IT!"

Snow kept her fist up, frozen. She blinked and turned her head slightly, watching her daughter a few steps from them, looking at them with tears on her cheeks, her eyes desperate and frightened. Snow frowned and looked at her more closely; she was shaking and her breathing was very agitated. Hell, this was not supposed to be this way. She should have controlled herself. She didn't want to see Regina again, so she began walking towards Emma, until she was close enough to see her daughter's face totally scared.

"You have to go back to the hospital." She raised her hand and gently stroked her cheek, wiping the tears that were there. "I'm sorry honey, you didn't have to see this. I'm really sorry." Emma opened her mouth to say something, but closed it immediately, while she was still very shocked about what had happened. "Let's go."

She wrapped an arm around her and began to walk with her, as Emma didn't even want to look back to see Regina. She kept her head down as they walked away from her.

This couldn't have happened. She had not expected to her mother slapping Regina because she was an anti-violence woman, and before she could say anything else about it, they were screaming, and then Regina hit her mom. And her mother got up and both of them began to push each other, trying to hit each other. What the hell had that been? She was so scared; in fact, she was never so scared in her entire life. She just wanted some of them to stop because they couldn't be making that the one to the other. She didn't want her mom to get hurt, she didn't want Regina could get hurt either. Thankfully, one of her last cries got her mother to come back to herself.

But it was her fault. It had been all her fault because they were fighting for her. She probably had done something wrong and that caused the problems between them. She shouldn't have looked so scared when her mom found them. She shouldn't have panicked when Regina had begun to take her from the hospital. She should have stayed quiet. She shouldn't have said anything.

Her body was still trembling; she kept her head down because the tears were still rolling down her cheeks. Emma pressed her lips to not snap up her cry; she could never forget her mother and Regina fighting with each other. Because of her.

* * *

Snow got into Emma's room, seeing her daughter lying in bed, asleep. She walked over to the chair next to the bed and sat on it, extending her hand to remove some hair from Emma's face. Her lips formed a smile as she began to see well her daughter's features. She had the shape of her eyes; both of them shared the green. And she had her chin as well. And then Snow smiled more to see her husband's coloring on their daughter. And she had his nose. But then, her smile faded.

Emma could have had both of her parents with her . David had been here since Emma was six. He saw her grow up, but he was never present in her life. Her little girl could have had the father she always wanted. First of all, she should have grown up with her and her father, the three of them in their castle as a family. But the curse ruined everything; Regina's curse ruined everything that she and Charming dreamed for their baby girl.

Snow sighed thinking about Regina. She shouldn't have beaten her, and she shouldn't have beaten her least in front of Emma, but her impulse led her to that. She needed to think clearly, she didn't forget all those years that Regina was with her as Emma grew up. She didn't forget Regina's laughter, smiles, and her eyes for Emma. That couldn't be a lie; she didn't care if their friendship had been a lie, because surely it had been. But she wasn't surprised by that; it hurt though. Regina knew everything from the beginning and she probably planned to approach her to be near Emma. But why?

Did Regina know that Emma was the savior? She knew that Emma was going to break her curse? Maybe she did. And maybe for that reason she was so close to her and Emma all these years. But again, she didn't forget all those years of Emma and Regina. When Emma was 3 months old, she already knew that Regina loved her baby girl as if she was her daughter. But what it was that she had to do now? Above all, she must keep Emma away from Regina. For a few days at least. She had to think clearly. For some reason, she kept thinking Regina couldn't hurt Emma, ever. But she might want to kidnap her again. And Snow wasn't going to let that happen.

Emma shook her head slightly and she moved her eyes to her quickly. The girl started to open her eyes slowly, and Snow smiled faintly to see her eyes. But Emma frowned at her, and she moved away, avoiding her gaze.

Snow frowned. "You okay, sweetheart?"

"Yes."

Her voice was distant and cold. And she kept her gaze to the ground or to either side but her. "Do you need me to call the doctor?"

"No!" Emma replied annoyed. Snow frowned again, and when she opened her mouth to speak, she saw her daughter's eyes looking at her timidly. "Are you... are you okay?"

"I'm – I'm okay... what's wrong?"

Emma gulped and slowly sat down on the bed, clasping her hands in her lap. She wasn't sure whether she should ask this, but she couldn't help it. "And... Regina's okay too?"

And then Snow realized. She stifled a groan at the realization of the true damage she had caused in her own daughter. Emma was still afraid, she was being shy, and didn't know how to ask about Regina. She still hadn't forgotten about their fight. She closed her eyes, sighing, cursing herself for the tenth time for letting her impulses escape. Her eyes opened again, finding her worried and shy daughter.

"Emma... I am so, _so_, sorry." She bit her lip and reached out her hand to take Emma's hand. "I promise you that that will not happen again, okay? I – I don't know what happened to me. I – I went out of control and... and I was very angry that she had taken you from here. I wasn't thinking clearly. If I would have react that you were there watching it all, I wouldn't have done anything. "

Emma's eyes widened suddenly. "You would have hit her if I wouldn't have been there?"

Snow knew she shouldn't have said that. After all, she knew that her daughter looked at Regina as her second mother. She could remember now when she saw her own father and Regina discuss, and she didn't like that at all. She knew that her father would have hit her, but there were a few times he raised his voice more than usual, and that scared her as hell. In what she was thinking when she hit Regina in front of Emma? She had been very, very stupid.

"I was blinded by anger... I couldn't control myself, and... I'm really sorry that you had to see that. Emma, I promise it's not going to happen again."

Snow saw some relief in Emma's eyes, though she still continued with her sad and worried look. She decided to stay silent until her daughter decided to let out what she was trying to hide. "Can I... call Regina?"

Snow sighed. She should have known this would happen, but what could she do? She could maybe keep Emma from Regina, but she couldn't separate them suddenly. And she could see the fear in her daughter's eyes, and that was destroying her. She needed to do something to mend at least a little her big mistake. "Yes, yes you can call her."

She held out her phone and quickly extended it out to Emma, marking the numbers she – they – knew by heart. She put the phone in her ear and began to look forward, not yet sure of finding her eyes. She hoped that after the talk with Regina she could be quieter. But then, Emma's eyes fell suddenly and moved the cell phone away from her ear, shaking her head slightly.

"She's not answering."

Snow rolled her eyes; Regina surely must have seen it was a call from her cell and she wouldn't have wanted to answer. "You should try one more time."

The girl returned to mark the numbers and put the phone in her ear. She waited and waited for long seconds, until she formed a small smile. "Regina? It's me, Emma."

_"Emma? Are you – are you in the hospital?"_

"Uhm, yeah... the doctors gave me antibiotics and pain is slowly ceasing."

_"Emma... I'm sorry. I – I'm sorry I took you from there. I panicked that your mother could... get you away from me. I'm sorry."_

Emma smiled a little to hear her heartfelt words. "And you – are you okay?"

_"Yeah, I'm fine..."_ Emma was silent, knowing that Regina was preparing to say something else. _"And I'm sorry that you were there watching that... discussion."_

She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't know how, either. She was ashamed to have witnessed that, and the fear was still in her. "I just called to see if you're okay."

_"Yeah, I'm fine... thank you, sweetie. I hope you're well and... when I can I'll call you, okay? But if you want to call me, do it, you know it."_

"Okay..." Emma murmured, still uncomfortable and nervous. "Bye..."

And she ended the call. Her eyes lifted and met the gaze expectantly from her mother. She wet her lips with her tongue nervously and gave the phone to her before returning to lie in bed. Her mother frowned, watching her and keeping the phone in her pocket.

"Are you sleepy, honey?" She extended her hand and gently stroked her hair. Emma nodded mutely. "Okay, I'll be here when you wake up."

Emma closed her eyes as she felt her mom's hand still in her hair, caressing her. Then, the sheets covered over her body and a little kiss was pressed into her forehead. She tried not to do anything about it, but when she tried to concentrate on sleep, a single image began to cross her mind. Again.

Her mother and Regina fighting with each other. She closed her eyes tighter, hoping that these images and feelings of fear could get out of her mind. Could she ever forget that moment? She hoped to.

* * *

**Hey everyone! First of all, thank you very much for your reviews! I loved reading what it was that you thought about Snow coming back. It was a little early, but as I said, it was necessary for the story began with its action.**

**About how David could let Regina take Emma, it was because he didn't want to leave Mary Margaret alone. I mean, I think it would have been something David Nolan would have done, if he had known that Emma was his daughter, I'm sure that Charming would have gone after Regina to take his daughter. But here's David Nolan, and Mary Margaret was very bad...**

**And here it is. Some of you predicted, Snow White going after Regina for having taken Emma. Maybe it was something that Snow wouldn't have done on the show, But this Snow was very scared that the Evil Queen may have been taken her daughter too far from her. So as Snow herself said, she let her impulses get out.**

**And about Emma, I needed to make clear the impact this had on Emma to see this. I know it can be very difficult for children to see their parents fight, but what if your parents start to hit each other in front of you? Believe me, that can create you a great shock and a horrible memory. So I'm starting to try to explore that, but also the whole situation which Emma doesn't understand anything. They were best friends, and now they were fighting with each other. She can't get what the hell happened there. And if you're thinking if Snow's gonna tell Emma about the curse and the whole thing, you'll see soon that.**

**So... I'm waiting anxiously to see your reviews! I hope to see them. So please leave me one! :)**

**And thank you for reading, as always!**


	19. Chapter 19

_Six year old Emma looked up, showing her big green eyes to the camera. The image was moved up and down, showing the costumes that the little girl was wearing; a simple pink dress, white shoes and a crown on her blond head._

_"Emma, smile for the camera!" Mary Margaret's voice was heard close, and as she was told, the little blonde smiled, showing all her teeth; two small spaces on the bottom. "That's my girl, so what do we do now?"_

_Emma's smile widened even more and clasped her hands gently, lifting her head, trying to be firm. "We will interpret a fairy tale. My fairy tale. I am Princess Emma, and I'm taking my place in the presence of my mother, the Queen, and my fairy godmother!"_

_"That's true, where is your fairy godmother by the way?"_

_"She's wearing the clothes that I've given to her." Emma nodded and walked a few more steps. "Mama, people have to see what the Queen is wearing, and who she is. I have to show you."_

_Mary Margaret's chuckle was quickly heard. "Okay..."_

_The image moved quickly until Mary Margaret appeared on the screen, with a long white dress, one silver necklace and a crown made __of branches on her head. "This is Queen Snow White!" Emma said with joy as Mary Margaret took some of her dress and leaned in greeting._

_Once she was standing straight again, she frowned. "Why Snow White, honey?"_

_"Because you are so much like Snow White, Mama."_

_Mary Margaret smiled slightly and began to move toward Emma. "Okay, come on, give me that."_

_The camcorder appeared to be passed from hand to hand, then the image began to show the floor, until Mary Margaret suddenly appeared in front, apparently she had put the camcorder on a place to show the whole scene. She frowned accommodating the camcorder in its place, until there was a smile on her face and she walked away, satisfied._

_"Gina! You have to leave the bathroom!" Emma shouted from the center of the living room, looking toward the bathroom._

_"I'm leaving!" Regina's voice was heard from the bathroom._

_Emma snorted and turned to look at Mary Margaret, crossing her arms. "Why is she taking so long?"_

_"Sweetheart, you're lucky that she's doing this for you."_

_Emma frowned but shrugged slightly. "Today is Children's Day."_

_"Okay, I'm here." Regina said getting closer to Emma and Mary Margaret. She was wearing a big blue dress, a pair of wings toy roses were in her back, a white wand in her right hand, big pink blush on her cheeks and two buckles were holding part of her hair._

_Emma jumped of joy with a big smile on her face. "You're very beautiful, Gina!" She looked at her mother's room and frowned, turning to look at Regina. "I'll go get the other things!" And she ran to her mother's room, out of sight._

_"I can't believe I'm doing this." Regina whispered lowering her eyes to what she was wearing. "This is the first and last time."_

_"She really can make you do things so..." Regina lifted her gaze to her, and saw her face, trying to hold back a laugh. "Amazing. You really look like a fairy godmother..."_

_"Oh, shut up." The mayor frowned looking with some anger at the other woman. "At least you're not ridiculously makeup."_

_"Hey, it's my daughter who decided that." And this time, Mary Margaret's laughter was heard around the room as she put a hand to her mouth. "Sorry, is that I can't believe you're dressed this way. The wings fit you..."_

_"Mary Margaret if you keep talking I'll kill you."_

_The school teacher took her hand off her mouth and nodded slightly, still an amused smile on her face. "Okay, okay, I will not be responsible for a fairy godmother killing a Queen."_

_"Here are the other guests!" Emma came running toward them, her arms full of stuffed animals. She approached to the chairs that were arranged next to each other, and began to place the stuffed animals there. "We have to begin!" She sat on the bench that was in the middle of all the chairs, and placed her hands on her lap with a smile as Mary Margaret and Regina were placed one on each side of her sides._

_"Well, here we are because the princess Emma..." Regina began to say, feigning a finite voice and waving her wand foolishly._

Regina turned off the VCR and sat on the floor, waiting for the cassette out. Once the cassette was out, she took it and turned around, watching the tape stuck in it, _"Princess Emma, Queen Snow White, and Fairy Godmother Gina." _A sigh escaped from her mouth and she got up, closing in on her bed. She sat on the edge and opened a drawer of the bedside table, keeping the cassette there. When she raised her eyes, her eyes found the photo that was on the table.

Emma was fourteen years in that picture. She was still small enough so she could hold her and Emma could stay under her chin. And that was how they were in that picture; happy smiles on their faces. So far from how they were now. But before the tears could build up in her eyes, Regina decided to get out of bed and walk away from her room, taking her purse in the way.

She had to go to work after all. It was the only thing that could keep her head at least a little busy. Many things went through her mind in those three days that she had been away from Emma; these three days since Snow White had returned. She didn't even know how Emma was all by since the last call she received from her. She didn't know if Emma was the one who didn't want to call her or Mary Margaret was the one who wouldn't let her call her. It didn't matter, for three days she didn't know anything about Emma.

But she also had time to think about what she would have to do once she would meet Mary Margaret again. Because there was no way that she would stay away from Emma for so long, she was expecting at least that Emma could leave the hospital. If she still hadn't come out yet. But Regina supposed that this wasn't the case, so she decided to wait. She could go to the hospital when she wanted, but she wanted Snow White herself could realize her mistake. She had to realize that she_ really_ loved Emma.

And Regina didn't want to cause other discomfort in Emma. It was enough when she got her out of the hospital without her consent, practically kidnapping her. If she was going to have Emma, she couldn't force her to be with her.

Regina came out of her house and got into her new Mercedes, and began driving towards the City Hall. But she turned the road as she was doing on three days, hoping to see something in the hospital. She lowered the speed of the car as her gaze moved to the hospital, and her eyes widened in surprise at what she was expecting to see. Her foot hit the brake pedal hard and the car stopped in a corner, her eyes always to the same place.

Emma was in the path of the hospital, in front of Mary Margaret's car. Regina smiled when she saw that the white band wasn't in her head, so she was probably better. And she could see from afar that the cut on her cheek was being healed, it could barely see. The color of her cheeks were there again, and Regina smiled a little to know that she was okay after all. The wounds were probably everywhere yet, but if she was out of the hospital it meant she had improved. Her arm was in still pleaded though, but that could be solved with time.

And she was alone there, she could come closer and talk to her, but Mary Margaret's car was there too, which meant that she would be at Emma's side at any second. And she didn't want to meet her again in Emma's presence. Just in case.

Emma moved a little closer to her mother's car and started looking everywhere; Regina chuckled to see that scowl on her face every time when she was looking for something. But then, she gasped to see that Emma had found what she was looking for. Her green eyes were on _her_.

Emma's face changed to one of surprise; Regina knew each of her expressions perfectly. Her eyebrows slightly raised, her eyes more open than usual. Certainly she wasn't expecting to see her there, and Regina didn't know what to do. She was surprised to see her there, but because she didn't want her to see her? She didn't know what to do but stare at the girl as she was doing with her . But then, her muscles relaxed.

Emma formed a small smile on her lips and raised her hand, her fingers moving slowly in salute. Regina smiled at that, unable to keep the tears away from her eyes, so she moved her hand in greeting, too. She wanted to let go the tears from her eyes because Emma certainly wanted her to be there with her, but she couldn't do it. Not yet.

Emma seemed to startle for something, and immediately dropped her arm and she turned around as Regina's hand instantly fell to see Mary Margaret approaching the girl. She had papers in her hands, and she said something to Emma to which she nodded. Mary Margaret opened the door of her car, helping Emma get in and then she got in the driver's side.

Regina didn't move her gaze from the car when it started to walk down the street, starting to move away from her. She could see Emma poke her head out the window to look at her, and it broke her heart to see her sad eyes as she was being moved away from her. She closed her eyes once the car was no longer in sight, and felt the tears sliding down her cheeks.

She was going to do something about it today. She would have to talk to Mary Margaret because she could hold her own pain, but she couldn't see Emma's pain. So Regina wiped her tears with her fists and began to drive again.

* * *

Snow looked up, seeing her daughter lying on the couch, watching TV, or at least she seemed to do that. But she knew that maybe her daughter was lost in her thoughts, because she had been totally silent all the time since they had returned to their home. In fact, Emma had been very quiet these three days. And Snow knew why.

She knew that her daughter was happy to see her every time she crossed the door into her hospital room, but she could see a little sparkle disappear in her green eyes. She was waiting all these days for Regina, and she wasn't there. Snow expected to see her there, she would have allowed her to see Emma while she was in the room, but Regina never appeared. And she hadn't bothered to call her so she went to visit Emma. Maybe both of them needed time away from each other, but her heart ached knowing that her little girl was in the middle of all that.

"Emma?" She said out loud and her daughter's head moved towards her, finding her tired eyes. "It's time to take the pills."

"Okay..." It was all she said, just how she was doing to three hours ago. Snow took the tray that containing 2 cups, a glass of water and pills. She walked to the couch as Emma sat on it.

"I prepared some cocoa." The brunette said, sitting down next to the girl, placing the tray on the small table in front of them. Emma nodded slightly as she took the pills and a glass of water. "With cinnamon, of course." Emma placed the pills in her mouth and drank some water, swallowing hard. "How's your head?" She reached out her hand and took a bit of blond hair from her face.

"It's fine."

Snow hated her being that way; so distant, but she couldn't blame her, and she didn't want to get the reason why she was that way. "Cocoa with cinnamon?" She smiled weakly taking the two cups, offering one to Emma.

"Yeah, thanks."

Her daughter took her cup and sat up straight, her eyes returning to television. Snow took her cup as well and sat straight, her eyes on the television, but she wasn't paying attention to what was happening. She had to talk to Regina, because she couldn't keep seeing her daughter in this way. She knew this wasn't going to be good; Emma was going to get hurt in some way or another, because she was going to do everything possible to help her break the curse, Regina's curse. And she was sure that Regina wasn't going to sit idly by.

She'd done this curse for her unhappiness. And now she was awake, and she would do anything to regain her friends, her husband. And her daughter was the key. Snow was a little quiet somehow though, knowing that although Emma was responsible for breaking the curse, Regina couldn't hurt her. But the question was, if Regina would be able to hurt her?

She cared for her these fifteen years? Was their _friendship_ a lie?

Emma got up slightly coach, and Snow got out of her thoughts instantly turning her look to her. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"I want to go to my bed... get some sleep."

She frowned leaving her cup on the tray quickly. "Want me to walk you there?"

"What?" Emma frowned, shaking her head. "No, I can walk to my room, Mom."

Snow nodded slightly, knowing that maybe she was exaggerating a little. Emma had her arm in a cast, not her leg. "Yeah, sure."

She remained still as Emma walked away from her, toward the stairs to go to her room. Her steps began to be heard as she ascended the stairs until the door closing echoed through the house. Snow let out a big sigh; not of relief, of course not. Now it came the hardest part. She took a small breath and took her phone, dialing numbers that she knew very well.

She waited and waited, but she didn't have to wait long. And it surprised her. "Regina?"

_"Yes..."_ There was a pause. A few seconds that seemed long minutes before she returned to listen. _"How's Emma?"_

"She's fine... but I want you to come to my house. We need to talk."

_"And Emma is there?"_

"Yes. You can see her, but first there are things I need to know."

Another short pause. After long seconds, Regina's voice was again heard. _"Okay. I'll be there in ten minutes."_

The call was quickly completed, and Snow left her cell phone on the table standing before her. If Regina said she would be there in ten minutes, she would surely be there in _five_ minutes. A small sigh escaped from her mouth, knowing she had to prepare for what was to come.

She was not going to fight this time. She would try to reason with her .

In these three days, she had time to think. Many things went through her mind; Emma, David, Regina, all her friends cursed. Emma had to break the curse, but meanwhile she was going to have to see her unhappy friends, her husband with another woman... her daughter without her _father_. Her eyes closed in pain, remembering all the times she saw David with Kathryn. Remembering when he chose her over her. Of course, this was _cursed_ David, she knew everything was going to change when Emma broke the curse, and she couldn't wait for that to happen. She wanted more than anything her husband back; her husband and their little girl together. Emma always had her father around and they were never able to see it.

It was not fair.

Both of them loved Emma more than anything in the world, she always did when she was just Mary Margaret, and she could now remember David, _her Charming_, when he found out she was pregnant. His eyes filled with tears and his beautiful smile when she had their little girl in her arms. At least the few minutes that they shared together. Then she had to take the decision to send her baby alone through a wardrobe into a totally unknown world. David fought for her to be safe. They loved her. They could _never_ love anyone the way they loved their daughter.

And since Emma was ten years old, she began to believe that her biological parents never wanted her. She believed that too, and it always broke her heart, maybe now she could see the real reason. Deep down, she was hurt that this was said of Emma's parents. But Snow was happy anyway, because Emma didn't grow up maybe not where she should; in a castle, with her godparents, with many people loving her, with her father... but she's had her always.

And although she could have her differences with Regina, she didn't forget everything that they shared together with Emma. They shared everything with her . And Snow was grateful for that; Emma always had love around her. When she was just with her , when she was with Regina, or just when the three of them were together.

But that didn't take away the fact that Regina had created a curse and so, she had had to send her daughter through a wardrobe into an unknown world. What if Emma wouldn't have appeared in her house's door? What if her little girl grew up alone in this world? Snow shook her head slightly, not wanting to even think about that possibility.

A knock was heard at the door, and Snow lifted her gaze to there, feeling the jitters get to her. It was Regina, although she had a copy of the keys to her house. But surely, she decided not to come in the house directly. The brunette got up and walked to the door, taking a breath before opening the door.

Finding Regina on the other side.

_"Oh, Madam Mayor..." She stammered, totally shocked that she was seeing the mayor at the door of her house._

_"So... it's true." Regina said little surprised, with her eyes fixed on the bulge in Mary Margaret's arms. The short-haired woman lowered her gaze to the baby in her arms, and nodded slightly. "I heard the news and... I wanted to see it for myself."_

Snow blinked slightly and stepped aside, letting Regina come in the house. The other woman came as she always entered, none of them without saying a word. Once Reigna was inside, Snow closed the door and sighed slightly before turning around, finding Regina already turned, looking at her.

She opened her mouth to start talking, but Regina was ahead of her. "I was cursed too."

Snow frowned in confusion, knowing that this was probably one of her lies. It was her curse; that couldn't be possible. "Regina, I don't want more lies... I just want..."

"It's the truth!" The mayor said exasperated. "I woke up in Emma's birthday. Gold – Rumpelstiltskin wanted it to be that way."

She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes, seeing that there was some truth in her eyes. If she could still see that in her. "How is that so?"

"I – I had his lover locked in my castle, and he found it out before I launch the curse. He changed his memories for mine."

Snow began to believe that maybe it was true. It could have a lot more logic. That was the reason that Regina never attempted to take Emma from her, maybe. And maybe that was the reason they were able to have a good relationship; none of them remembered the other. They had a very good friendship, and it was painful it had to end this way. But there was something more important than both of them.

Emma.

"You love her?"

Regina frowned and stared at her for a few seconds before moving her head to one side in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Emma. Do you love her?"

Snow felt a chill go through her body to see her brown eyes change so drastically. It was something confusing; there was darkness, but also a little shine. "Of course I love her."

It was not a lie. She wasn't entirely sure about Regina being cursed too, but she could tell that this was not a lie. She loved Emma. She wanted to let that little smile go that was curving her lips, but she refused to it. Anyway, there was something she had to make it clear to Regina. But when she was about to speak again, footsteps were heard from the stairs.

"Regina?"

Regina turned instantly to hear her voice. She formed a small smile as Emma finished down the stairs, her face surprised and confused at the same time. When she finished getting down the last step, Regina spread her smile, seeing her more clearly. She was much better than when she had seen her the last time.

"Emma... I've missed you..." She stepped closer to the girl, but Emma quickly walked away, a frown forming on her angry face.

"Then why you didn't go to the hospital to see me?" Regina stayed at her place, looking a little surprised. She was not expecting this. She believed she would receive her with open arms. "You didn't even call to see how I was! And if I got worse?! You weren't there!"

"Emma..." Snow tried to say, but soon her green eyes fixed on her, and she could see the tears beginning to appear in her daughter's eyes.

"No, she didn't show up there!" Regina felt pity to see her green eyes again fixed on her. "It's not fair! I was waiting for you and you never came, not even once." She returned her gaze to her mother again. "I don't care what the hell this going on between you two, I don't care anymore, but don't put me in the middle of your problems!"

She looked one last time before turning Regina and run upstairs, locking herself in her room again. Both women jumped slightly upon hearing the door shut so hard. Snow closed her eyes and sighed, lowering her head. She did not want this to happen, but she could not help it.

And all this was to get worse.

"I didn't want this to happen..." Snow was able to speak again, opening her eyes and seeing that Regina was still with her back to her. "You'll be able to see her but I can no longer trust you, Regina. I can't let you take her from me."

"But you can do that to me?" She fought back, giving herself back, her sad face changing to an angry one. "When I woke up, I was trying to be like I was always with you two, I've been trying..."

"Then why did you get her from the hospital?!"

"Because I knew what you'd do!" Her voice raised a little tune, and Snow could see her fists closing. "You can't do this to me! I raised her as you did!"

"This is not about that. Now there's a great difference we have about Emma." She sighed slightly and turned to stare at her brown eyes. "I'm going to make her break the curse."

"No." Regina said immediately, approaching steps to her, but Snow didn't flinch about it. "You're not going to do such a thing."

"I will. Everyone here deserves to know who they really are. Emma deserves to have her father with her..."

"And so everything will be as before, right?" Snow knew she was starting to get the worst of her, but she had to stay calm. "No, I will not let you do that."

"She's already breaking the curse. I woke up, and the clock began to move again. I know that's a sign. And I'll help her break it definitely."

"She's going to see me like everyone else does. As the Evil Queen."

The Evil Queen. She was far from that. Perhaps Emma would react badly at first, but she couldn't forget what she lived with her . Even herself could see it. Perhaps everyone could see her as the Evil Queen, but she was not that person when she was around Emma. She never was, and Snow hoped she never would be.

"Regina, I'll talk to her..."

"No!" One step closer to her, and Snow had to put her angry gaze to her, knowing that she wouldn't give up so easy. "It's better than you take the idea off your mind, because if you don't..." The Evil Queen. Now she could see her in front of her. "I _will_ destroy you, if it's the last thing I do."

Snow kept her eyes on her as Regina was doing. But then, the younger woman kept her eyes on the other woman as the mayor walked away from and walked to the door. Snow remained still in her place, and just moved her look back when she heard the door close.

She knew it would be difficult, she tried to reason with her , but she wouldn't listen. That didn't take away the fact that she was going to accomplish what she had said. She was going to help Emma to break the curse, she would have to talk to her, but moving her gaze upstairs, Snow knew that it wasn't the time yet, and she still had to think about how she was going to tell her.

They were fairy tales for Emma, and it was going to be really crazy for her to know that it was all true. But she would believe that. She had to believe her.

* * *

**Hello you all! First of all, I'm sorry for the delay, but I was really bussy with things of my 'trouble' life. I just finished this chapter and I wanted to upload it as fast as I could. So here it is.**

**As you can see, things are going to change. I think both Regina and Snow have a point; Regina doesn't want Emma to see her as The Evil Queen for all the things she's done, and Snow wants her family back, she wants Emma to have her father as she always wanted. I'm just here trying to explain their points if you didn't get them...**

**Now we have to see what Regina is going to do, Emma will believe Snow when she tells her the truth about everything? It's going to be everything really complicated but I can't wait to get to it.**

**I LOVED your reviews! Thank you! And I'm looking foward to see what you think of this chapter, or what you think Regina will do, or about Emma believing? I'm anxious to see about that!**

**As always, thank you for reading! And I hope it doesn't take me too long for uplodad in here again!**


	20. Chapter 20

Snow was making dinner while Emma was still locked in her room. Snow didn't want to push her, because she knew she had her reasons for being angry with her and Regina, because it wasn't her fault everything that was going on, but still, she was the hardest hit of all this. And she couldn't even give her an explanation, because that would mean talking about the curse, and Snow didn't want that yet. She had to go back to being well with her daughter, and then the truth would come.

Footsteps were heard on the stairs, and Snow turned her eyes toward it, seeing Emma finishing the last steps down. A towel was leaning on her arm in a cast.

"You're going to take a shower?" Emma nodded walking to the bathroom, but Snow was quick to approach her. "You need my help..."

"Of course not." She frowned. "Why would I?"

"Emma, I know you still have wounds, and your arm is broken..."

"But in a cast."

Snow gave her a stern look. "Emma. I'm helping you."

Emma smiled as smoke started to come out of the pot in which her mother was apparently making dinner. "I think you have to make dinner..."

Snow frowned and turned around, her eyes widening. "Oh my god!" She ran to the kitchen as Emma quickly went into the bathroom, locking herself in it. "You better stand there quiet young lady..." She began, turning off the fire of the pot and waving a hand over the smoke. "Because you can't alone with your arm in a cast and your wounds..." She put the lid on the pot again and turned, realizing that she was talking to herself. "Emma!" She walked to the bathroom and slammed the door slightly. "Emma, open the door!"

"I can do it on my own!"

"No, you can't! Open the door Emma!"

"Mom, I said I can do it, leave me alone!"

Snow sighed and rolled her eyes, wanting to believe that maybe she was being hyped about this. Her daughter was fifteen, she could bathe alone, obviously, but she didn't want her to have pain while she was doing it. And she knew, she _really_ knew, that Emma would have pain with all her wounds and her arm in a cast, but she wouldn't say it.

"Okay..." She murmured. "Okay. But for anything I'm here, you understand me?"

"Yes!" Emma replied from the other side.

She walked into the kitchen, opening the lid of the pot and starting to stir the soup that was being prepared in it. Her ears were alert for any unusual noises that could be heard from the bathroom. Oh gods, she was so scared she could slip, or fall and...

Her phone rang and she jumped in fright, unintentionally releasing the spoon in the pot. She bit her lip, taking her phone but without removing her eyes from the pot. Carefully and quickly, she took the spoon back and moved her eyes to her cell, dropping the spoon on the floor.

It was David.

She hadn't had time to think about him. Well, yes. She did it, but with everything that was going on with Emma, and Regina, she hadn't had time to talk to him again.

When Emma was in the hospital, he visited her, every single day. She could have exploded with excitement, knowing that now it all made sense. Their daughter had awakened him. Although David never attended Emma's life as her father, he was always around her since then, being just her friend. He adored her, as she did with him. The only time that Emma looked annoyed with him was when she'd heard that they were dating, but then she had agreed, and months ago, she and Regina teased her because she was always watching him intently.

She moved her gaze away, feeling tears in her eyes. That had been a beautiful time, but she wouldn't go back, because that would mean forget that Emma was her real daughter and David was her husband. Though she didn't know what was more painful; not knowing that he was her husband, or know that he was her husband, but she had to see him with another woman.

Her phone kept ringing, so she quickly pressed a button and put the phone in her ear. "David..."

_"Mary Margaret! I'm sorry I didn't call earlier, I've been really busy... how is Emma?"_

She couldn't help but smile to hear the concern in his voice. A lump formed in her throat, remembering that he couldn't remember that this same girl for whom he was concerned was _his_ baby girl. But she shook her head slightly and sighed. "She's fine, she's taking a shower now, but she's fine..."

_"Glad to hear that... and how are you doing?"_

He loved her. That was the reason why they didn't find any explanation for their feelings. They were meant to be together, and although she didn't know if the love he had for Mary Margaret was still there, she knew that the love of Charming for her was still there, crying out for her. "I'm fine, as long as Emma is well, I will be. Thank you for calling, David..."

_"Of course I had to. I care about you."_ A bigger smile took her face. _"I mean, both of you, after everything that happened..."_

_"David, I need help!"_ It was Graham's voice. She smiled faintly and sighed.

"I think you should get back to work, Deputy Nolan..."

His little laugh was heard. _"Yeah, I think. Well, I'm glad that both of you are well. Whatever any of you may need, please call me, Mary Margaret."_

"I will." She responded immediately. But she didn't want to say goodbye, she still didn't want to hang up...

_"Okay, um... bye."_

But it had to happen. She couldn't say anything or reclaim him anything, he was hers, and he didn't remember it yet. But he would. "Bye..."

As fast as she left her phone on the table, a popping sound came from the bathroom. Her eyes widened in panic as she ran to the bathroom, trying to open the door, without success.

"Emma?! Emma, what happened?! Are you hurt?!" No answer. And the panic in her began to grow more and more. "Oh my god..." She ran to the wall, taking the set of keys hanging on a small hook. Her instinct quickly found the right key, so she put it on the bathroom door's lock. "Emma, Emma sweetheart, are you okay?"

When she opened the door a little bit, it was closed tightly again. "Don't get in!" Emma shouted from the other side.

"Emma, you've fallen, something has happened, I'm coming!"

"No, wait! I'm not dressed! Do not come!"

"Emma, I am your mother, just..." She tried to open the door again, but it was quickly closed again. "Emma!"

"I don't care, Mom! Don't come in!"

Snow rolled her eyes and sighed, knowing she wasn't going to let her in otherwise. "Put on your clothes!"

"Wait!"

Snow rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, knowing that Emma had taken the habit of not letting her in anywhere where she was undressed, or at least in her bra. Since she'd turned 13, but Snow still wasn't used, gods, now she could say that she'd had her in her belly for 9 months, but well, she didn't want her mother to see her in her bra.

Finally, the door opened, but she had to walk steps and push the door slowly. Her eyes quickly got down when she saw blond hair on the floor. Snow gasped rushing to sit next to Emma, who was sitting in front of the tub. Eventually, she was in her white shorts and her old t-shirt.

"Honey, what happened?"

"Nothing, the floor is slippery and..."

Snow sighed weakly. "Okay, now I'm helping you..."

Emma quickly set her eyes on her, exasperated. "You're not showering me!"

"You don't have to take off all your clothes, Emma. Just keep wearing your underwear, like a bathing suit."

But Emma snorted, a scowl on her face. "Mom, I'm fifteen!"

And Snow looked at her sternly. "And you just got out of a big accident, I have to remind you?" She got up and helped Emma to get up as well. Snow tried to take off her t-shirt, but she was adamant, so Snow had to sigh. "Emma, I'm serious. You need my help."

Emma frowned, but after a few seconds snorted, and her body relaxed. "Okay, but this is the only time this will happen..."

Snow chuckled helping her take off her shirt. "I am your mother; you can't say that to me."

But her smile quickly disappeared when she saw the wounds that were in her daughter's body. Small and big bruises were around her belly, as the mark of a cut was healing right in the middle of her breasts. She lowered her gaze to her legs, seeing that the bruises were still on her knees, but everything was starting to heal. Although she knew that this would happen, the injuries weren't going to go easily. Emma's skin it was very white and very sensitive, not to mention the big accident that she went through.

"Can I keep the shorts?" Snow raised her eyes to see her face. A small brand that her lip had been split was still there, as in her eyebrows, and on her cheek. And now she could remember that in her head she'd had a big outage, although Dr. Whale had assured her that everything was fine now.

Her baby girl. She almost lost her without even knowing that she really was her little girl. And she knew she was angry with her , that was one of the reasons why she didn't want her help, but Emma also surely knew she wasn't going to give up. But her heart broke to see that her daughter was still hurt. She wanted to hug her, but she had to respect Emma's anger. She still could see it in her eyes.

"Can I keep my shorts?" Emma asked again, confused at her mother's stare.

Snow gulped and nodded slightly. "Yes, now get into the shower."

"Yes, ma'am..."

* * *

Regina began to walk quickly on the asphalt; her ears heard the little noise that they produced her heels against the floor. The street was deserted, as always, but she knew that the place where she had to go was not. The person she wanted to be there, would be there. But then, she had to pass in front of Granny's to go where she wanted.

Her steps stopped suddenly and she turned her gaze to the sidewalk out front, Granny's sign was off, but there wasn't anyone. Yet, Regina could see a little, beautiful, blonde girl walking around, taking a woman's hand.

_"Gina, Gina, can I get ice cream today?"_ Five years old Emma's voice began to echo in her head.

And then, there was her own voice. "_Your mother said you couldn't, honey."_

_"Pretty please?"_

She felt tears coming to her eyes, but she held them in her place, her jaw clenching in anger as her fists. Her gaze moved forward, forgetting that moment, trying to forget all those moments, though all she wanted was to go back there. Her feet began to move again, as the sound of her heels echoed in the streets.

She was trying to forget those times when she was happy with that little girl and her best friend. Now in her life there was one enemy and a girl she had to rescue. Although she might want to forget those moments, though she had lost her best friend, she would keep that little girl.

Regina stopped at a door, which she didn't even bother to knock before coming in. The store seemed to be empty, but she knew he was there, knowing that she would go to that place at any minute.

"Where are you?"

A few minutes later, Mr. Gold appeared from behind a curtain, his hand on his cane, in his suit, and with his eyes cold but a small smile on his lips. She frowned in anger knowing he was enjoying her unhappiness.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Madam Mayor?"

Regina narrowed her eyes and took a few steps toward the counter where Gold was behind. "I want to make a deal."

"Oh my," He laughed slightly moving his gaze to the side. She kept her cold and penetrating gaze on him, knowing that she would get what she wanted in some way or another. His gaze moved to her again. "You really think I might want to do a deal with you?"

"I didn't say that you'd want to, but maybe this could be useful for you."

His smile remained on his face, as his eyes cold. "And why is that? Everything I want is that little Miss Blanchard break the curse."

Regina narrowed her eyes and chose to ignore that comment referring to Mary Margaret. He _really_ wanted to bring out the worst in her. "I want some way to keep Emma with me."

"And so she wouldn't break the curse. Which is the part where I'd be interested?"

"If Emma is with me, I will help you do what you want to do if the curse was broken."

He frowned slightly, his smile widening. "You can't help me with that, dearie. With that or anything."

"I can do that that girl..." A small smile curved her lips, enjoying beforehand the anger that was coming to him. "Lacey, put her eyes on you."

His jaw tightened as his teeth clenched in anger. "You stay away from her. And from me. I have no interest in making any kind of deal with you. Ever."

Regina clenched her fists, feeling the blood running through her veins with speed. "You..."

"Let's be clear here, dearie." He started walking around the counter, his cane at his side. "Now that you remember, things will be clearer." He stopped in front of her, as Regina held her steady gaze. "I'm the one with the power here. That never changed, that will never change."

She let her lips stretched into a small smile. "We shall see."

And then, she turned and started walking away from him, to get out from the store and shut the door hard. Maybe she hadn't made a deal with him, but she knew what she had to do. She knew what Snow White would do, so she was going to let her step-daughter do what she wanted, but then, she would do what she had to do. And then Snow White would see that she had the power here, because she was going to have Emma. And Rumpelstiltskin would see that the curse would never be broken, so he wouldn't win.

She was going to have her happy ending.

* * *

Snow and Emma were sitting in Snow's bed; her daughter was sitting in front of her and she was brushing her hair, as she often did when she was a little girl. This time, despite Emma's protests, she convinced her she had to do her hair because she wasn't going to do it with one arm. Her blond hair was long and like when she was her age, very tangled if it wasn't well groomed. But as the brush down and ascended by Emma's curls, she remembered when someone combing her tangled hair.

_"Are you sure you can do it?" Fifteen years Snow asked sitting in front of her stepmother, with her __frown._

_"Your servants said they can't untangle it, Johanna's busy preparing things for the ball... I can do this."_

_Snow chuckled, knowing that her stepmother loved untangle her hair, because that was a big challenge for her. Regina seemed to love the challenges as long as she would win. "It's okay; I love when you comb me. Could you make me the braids that I still can't know how to make them?"_

_"All right, now be still..."_

"Mom!" Emma screamed and Snow took her hand from her hair quickly, inadvertently pulling part of her hair. "Ouch, Mom!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, sorry, you startled me..."

Emma frowned and turned to look at her. "What were you thinking?"

"Nothing... what had happened?"

"I asked you why that book was still here."

Snow frowned, beginning to comb her hair blonde again. "What book?"

Emma shook her head to one side and her finger pointed to her desk where she had all kinds of things to her. "Do you keep it then?"

Snow gently moved the comb away from Emma's hair and left it on the bed, shifting her gaze to the book. She knew that Emma was waiting for an answer, but maybe this was a sign. Emma didn't like the book, but she once believed in it. When no one believed, she did. And now she had to do, she wasn't doing it. But the book appeared in her life again, and maybe, she could go back to believing in it.

"Emma, there's something I have to tell you."

Emma turned and looked at her, but her eyes were confused as frightened. "Is... is about Regina? Something bad happened to her?"

"What? No..." Snow quickly answered her second question, because in fact, it had something to do with Regina. "She's fine..." She really didn't know, but if something bad had happened, all the people would have told her... they still were best friends for the town. "It's... about us."

Emma frowned, more confused than before but now not looking scared. "What is it?"

Snow swallowed hard. She got up and went to the book, taking a small breath before taking it. A shiver ran through her body, but she sighed and walked over to Emma again, sitting at her side. She placed the book in the middle of both and opened it in the end.

The curse on them, but her baby was safe.

She raised her eyes from the book to Emma, watching that she was really confused. Of course. She couldn't see what she was going to find out. How she was going to do it? It was as if she had created a lot of walls after everything that happened when she was ten. She believed in something, no one believed her, everyone treated her like a crazy, giving her no importance, and then she found out that she was adopted, but her belief was still there. Then, she found out that her parents had abandoned her. But no. That wasn't true. She was right. She always was.

"Emma, you remember when you were ten years and you... you said everything that was in the book was true?"

Her expression changed from confusion to one of seriousness, her walls were coming to her as every time her memories from her ten years were appointed. "Yes, what about it?"

"Why did you say that all this was true? You were saying that all these stories were true. That..."

"I know what I was saying." Emma quickly interrupted, and Snow could see a hint of anger in her eyes. "Why do you care about it? It was five years ago and no one believed me..."

"That's it!" Snow quickly said, unable to contain her excitement as she felt that perhaps she could believe again. "What – what if you were right?"

Emma stared at her, and after a few seconds, she frowned. "What do you mean?"

"There's one reason why Regina and I are having these fights suddenly..."

Emma dropped her gaze to the book for a few seconds, and Snow closed her mouth, wanting to see if she could draw conclusions about that. She frowned even more and lifted her gaze to her. "What has that to do with the book?"

She took a small breath and looked deep into her eyes. If Emma could create a conclusion about that was because there was a part of her that still wanted to believe in it. "When you believed in these fairy tales, who you were saying that I and Regina were?"

"Well... you were... Snow White, and... I never knew who Regina was, because in the book Snow White didn't have a best friend, well, she had. Little Red Riding Hood. But I thought she was Ruby..."

"No, wait." Snow sighed slightly, trying to remember if she ever thought Regina was the Evil Queen. Emma spent hours talking about all this, she could not remember clearly now. But...

_Emma pressed her lips, and stared at Regina as she descended a few steps of the staircase. When she was in the last step, she looked at Regina up and down, and then she returned her gaze to her eyes. "I thought you weren't her, because I thought my mom was Snow White, and you two are best friends, so you couldn't be her... but now I can see it." Emma took a breath before continuing. "You are the Evil Queen."_

_"Emma, you can't keep thinking that we are all fairy tale characters. The Evil Queen? I'm not evil!" Regina quickly snapped._

"When you found out you were adopted, who was Regina to you?"

Emma dropped her gaze to the book as Snow followed her gaze. On one page there was baby Emma, and on the other page was the Evil Queen, standing in front of Snow White, who had Prince Charming unconscious in her arms. Snow lifted her gaze to Emma, seeing that her gaze was on the Evil Queen. "I thought she was the Evil Queen."

"You said that the curse was true because nobody except you grew older. And no one could leave the town because anyone who would do this, something bad always happened."

"Mom, what is it?! Why are you reminding me all this? I don't want to remember any of that!" She closed the book quickly but Snow reopened it, right on the page on which baby Emma was with Snow White and Prince Charming.

"I'm so, so sorry, Emma. I should have believed you."

"Believe that everyone in this town are fairy tales? Mom, I get it. I was crazy. I just wanted to feel special but..." Snow waited so she would continue talking, but then her expression changed again; her face completely serious. "I found out about my parents and..."

"Emma, no, wait..." She held out her hands and took Emma's hand tightly, forming a small smile as her eyes filled with tears. "I _am_ your mother."

Emma's expression changed quickly, her face eased and even her lips formed a small smile. "I know you are, Mom. I'm sorry if I ever..."

"No, Emma. You don't understand..." Emma frowned confused. "I am your mother. I always was, and I never left you stranded in a forest. I had to send you away to save you."

The girl frowned and looked as confused as ever before in her life. "What – what are you saying?"

"You were right. The curse is real; all the stories that are in this book? They are true. All of them. That's the reason that Regina and I are having fights... both of us woke up."

"What? No, Mom... what – what happened to you?"

"I woke up, as Regina did!"

"You mean..." Her gaze dropped to the book. "You're telling me that you think that..."

"I'm not thinking it." Snow interrupted her quickly. "I'm saying that I woke up, and I remembered who I am. Regina did too. Both of us are awake, and that's why we are having these... discussions. Because she hates me and I hate her... I am Snow White, and she is Regina, The Queen... the Evil Queen. You were right, Emma. You're the savior, and you're going to bring back the happy endings."

She kept her eyes on her, but Emma just stared at her, and then the book, and then at her again. She opened her mouth to say something, but it was closed again. Snow didn't blame her, it was a lot to take in, but it was the truth, and she was so relieved that she could finally be totally honest with her daughter.

"Emma..." She whispered, and Emma's confused eyes returned to her. "You really are _my _baby." Emma frowned slightly, but lowered her eyes, seeming to be lost. And Snow couldn't take it anymore; she moved closer to her and gently wrapped her arms around her, hugging her tightly.

A voice in her mind began to resonate, it was ten years old Emma's voice, when she believed that she was the savior, and she was thinking that she and Regina were th evil ones. But she was right about one thing, and Snow hoped that her little girl could believe again.

"_I don't care what you say; I know I'm going to bring back the happy endings!"_

* * *

**Hello! I'm really sorry for the delay, but I hate school, so you can know why I've been busy and then, when I wasn't, the words didn't want to come out, but now I finally did it. Thanks for the reviews, I loved each of them!**

**It's late here so I'm very sleepy, but I wanted to update here, maybe tomorrow I can start with Make A Wish's new _-and last-_ chapter if there was someone who wanted to know.**

**As always, thanks for the reviews and I'd be very happy to see what you think of this chapter. :)**

**Thank you for reading!**


	21. Chapter 21

_Emma looked at her mother with a smile drawn on her face, sitting across from her. She slowly took the book she'd received on her birthday, even without even knowing who had given it to her. But she shifted her gaze to her mother again, she was still concentrated in fold their clothes._

_"Mom, I have to tell you something."_

_Her mother raised her gaze to her for a few seconds, then back to the clothes. "What is it, honey?"_

_"Uhm... you have seen that I've read this book many times, right?" At her mother's nod, she continued. "I found out that everything it says in this book are true stories." Quickly, her mother looked up at her, her eyebrows slightly raised. "It may sound strange, but it's true. Every story in this book actually happened." _

_Her mother stared at her, probably to see if she was lying. Emma didn't even blink, knowing she had to stand firm. Then, her mother frowned. "Emma..."_

_"You're Snow White, and I am the savior. Everyone in this town are cursed... the Evil Queen made a curse, taking everyone from the Enchanted Forest to here."_

_Her mother laughed lightly, and Emma frowned, knowing she wasn't believing her. "Emma, these stories are very good, but..."_

_"You're acting this way because you can't remember anything, but when I break the curse, you will! And Dad will be back with us. I still couldn't find out who Regina is, but I'm sure she's not some evil person..."_

_Her mother laughed again, and took the pile of her clothes, getting up from the bed. "Sure, sweetie. Let me arrange your clothes, then you will continue telling me about it, okay?"_

_"But..." Emma muttered, but either way, her mother walked away from her, to the stairs. And Emma sighed sadly, lowering her gaze to the book._

_It would be easy to wake her mother. Much less break the curse... but she was going to do it. She was the savior._

Emma blinked and moved away from her mother, her eyes looking up to find Mary Margaret's eyes watery, her hands on her face, as if she hadn't seen her for a long time. She couldn't help the confusion on her face, as her body moved almost instinctively, moving away from her mom, even getting up from the bed.

"Emma, I'm sorry... I know this is hard to understand, I know it is, but it's true." The girl swallowed hard and turned her gaze away, not wanting to see her mother's eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't wake up before... that way you could have had your father with you, but..."

Emma blinked and moved her gaze to her, raising her eyebrows still totally lost. "My father?"

"David. He's... he's Prince Charming. He is your father, Emma."

Emma frowned as tears began to form in her eyes, so at this, Mary Margaret got up, but the girl stepped back quickly. "I – I need a minute."

Mary Margaret opened her mouth, but Emma quickly turned around and ran to the bathroom, locking herself in it. Her chest began to rise and fall quickly, and she could feel the air was difficult to get to her lungs. She kept one hand on the door, as she heard her mother's footsteps on the other side.

"Emma? Please, let me in. You shouldn't be alone..."

She closed her eyes and inhaled and exhaled deeply. "I'll be out in a minute, please, wait."

"O – okay..."

Emma sighed and removed her hand from the door, looking into her shorts. She quickly took her cell phone from a pocket and dialed numbers she well knew. When the phone was in her ear, she began experiencing difficulty breathing again, but after a few seconds, she took another deep breath.

"Regina?" She whispered, her eyes fixed on the door in case that her mother could hear her.

_"Emma? Hi, sweetheart, how are –"_

"I need you to come home. Now."

There a few seconds before Regina spoke again. _"What's wrong?"_

"It's Mom. She's... I think she's hit her head. I'm scared for her."

This time, Regina's voice seemed to be very cold. _"Why? What's wrong with her?"_

"She's saying incoherent things... like the curse of which I spoke when I was little, it's true. She is saying that she's Snow White, and that you are the Evil Queen, and that I am the savior. Something is very wrong with her, because she says it as if she's sure of that. Please, you must come. "

"Emma? Are you talking to someone?" Her mother's voice said on the other side, and she sighed, closing her eyes weakly.

"Please, come." She mumbled before hanging up the call. She kept her phone in a pocket of her shorts and looked ahead, knowing that she could maintain this situation.

She unlocked the door and opened it, finding her worried mother of the other side. She swallowed hard and walked out of the bathroom, slowly. None of them spoke. Her mother's eyes were fixed on her, and Emma was looking at her up and down, seeing if she was hurt somewhere. Could she have fallen from the stairs and she hadn't heard her? Or she had beaten her head tightly and she hadn't said anything about it?

She was worried and scared, Emma just wanted to Regina could come quickly. Although they were not on the best terms, she knew Regina would come anyway, they were still being best friends... weren't they?

"Emma?" Her mother said loudly, and Emma lifted her gaze to her eyes. "Baby, I know you're scared by all this... but I'll help you. I'll help you go through all this, okay?"

Emma looked at her green eyes, seeing that she was speaking firmly, as if all she was saying was true. She was sure of her words, and Emma was getting scared more and more with every word she was saying. She wasn't scared that she might hurt her, but she was scared about the big hit she'd had. She had – needed – to go to hospital.

"Regina doesn't have to know about this." Emma just stared at her, not knowing quite what to do or say. She didn't want to say that she wasn't believing a word of what she was saying, but she couldn't support such absurd ideas either. "Emma..." She lifted her gaze to her, quickly. "You don't believe me, don't you?" There was a pain in her eyes that she had already seen before.

_"Mom! What I'm saying is true, please! I'm not crazy!" Ten years old Emma hit her foot against the floor, crossing her arms over her chest. Her mother turned and looked at her sternly, though there was always tenderness._

_"Sweetheart, you're not crazy, but..."_

_"So why I'm going to go to Archie's office? I don't want to! I'm not crazy! Why you don't believe me?"_

_Her mother sighed deeply and bent down to be at her height, a small smile on her face. "Emma, I know it's hard to understand, but what you're saying is not true. Those stories are just… fairy tales."_

_Emma frowned. "No, they're not. They're true!"_

"Honey? Do you believe me?"

A blow began to resonate in the house, and Emma hurried toward the door before her mother. She opened the door and let out a little sigh to see Regina from the other side, but there was a frown on her face to see Graham behind her.

"What are they doing here?" Her mother asked from behind her. Emma ran to one side to let Regina and Graham came into her house. When she turned, she felt pity for her mother's look confused. "Emma, you have called them?"

"You're scaring the girl. How dare you do this, Mary Margaret?" Regina said, her eyes fixed on her mother. Her mother turned her gaze to Regina, and Emma could swear that she never saw such hatred in her eyes before.

"How dare I?! You know what I'm saying is true!" But then, she sighed lightly and closed her eyes for a few seconds, then opened them, her eyes this time on Graham. "Graham, can you wait outside?"

He hesitated, but eventually nodded. "Um, okay..."

It was her mother herself who closed the door behind Graham when he came out from the house. She turned away, but her gaze wasn't in Regina, it was on her. Emma swallowed again, as she always did when she was nervous, and took a few steps back, deciding whether or not she had to run to her room and escape from the conversation that was coming.

"Emma... if you don't believe me, I understand. I'll explain it as often as you want, but why did you have to call her?"

Regina snorted. "Oh well, what's supposed to a fifteen year old girl has to do when her mother starts talking inconsistencies like that?"

Emma dropped her gaze to her mother's fists. She was starting to get angry at Regina. So, she moved her gaze to the mayor. "You know what I'm saying is true. You just will not admit it because you don't want her to believe!"

"Really?" Regina smiled slightly, crossing her arms over her chest. "So, I have to admit that we are all fairy tale characters... and that I am the Evil Queen? Please, Mary Margaret. This has already happened once. All of us here know that's not true."

Her mother seemed to be surprised and hurt at Regina's comment. And Emma felt the worst person in the world. She should have talked to her before calling Regina; know why she was suddenly believing about all those things. She knew what her mother was feeling now, because she really believed what she was saying. Just like when she did. And she could still remember the pain of knowing that your loved ones don't believe a word of what you say.

"You're really doing this?" Her mother asked in a small voice, her eyes filling up with tears as they were fixed on Regina.

Emma moved her gaze to Regina, seeing that there was some pain in her eyes for a few seconds, but then, her eyes returned to be expressionless. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Her mother kept her eyes on her, totally hurt. Then, a small, sad smile crossed her lips. "You're not going to win this, you know?"

Regina opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again. After a few seconds, her expression softened and she took a few steps toward her mother. Emma's eyes widened when she saw Regina taking her mother's hands. "Mary Margaret, let us take you to the hospital."

Her mom walked away from Regina, separating her hands from hers with brutality. "What? Why I should go to the hospital?"

Regina sighed slightly and shook her head from side to side slightly. "You've probably hit your head and you don't remember any of it."

"I – I have not hit my head!"

"Mary Margaret, you go to the hospital, want it or not!"

She walked over to Regina, lagging inches from her face, as her eyes filled with hatred returned to her. Emma gasped to see how close they were, fearing that they could return to fight as the last time they did. "You want me to believe that I'm crazy, don't you? I'm not crazy!"

"_Mom, please! I'm not crazy!"_

Regina's lips curled into a small smile. Emma frowned, not knowing how she could be smiling. She was enjoying this? Her mother was losing her senses! It was not fun, though Regina was looking as she was enjoying it.

"You're not crazy, but you're not thinking clearly." Regina said, her voice calm. "You remember about the last thing we talk?"

Her mother's fists clenched tightly, as her lips tightened in anger. "If I talked to Emma about the curse, you would destroy me, if it was the last thing you did, right?"

Regina frowned. "Of course not." She walked a few feet from her, and moved her gaze to Emma. "Honey, she's been talking about this since your birthday. I've told her that if she continued to speak of this, and if she told something of this to you, I would have to take her to hospital. That's why we've been fighting all this time. She thinks I'm the Evil Queen..." Emma didn't move her eyes from Regina, listening intently to every word she was saying. It was true, surely it was true, and it had a lot of logic.

"I'm not thinking it!" Her mother cried quickly. "You are the Evil Queen, you evil witch! You're not taking her from me!"

This time, Emma could see it in advance. Her mother came quickly to Regina, and she could see her intention, her face; the same face she had had when she and Regina had fought to death. But Emma couldn't let that happen, not again.

"Mom, no!" She ran to them and got in the middle of both, as her mother's right fist went straight to her face, knocking her down.

"Emma!" Regina cried out throwing herself at her side. Emma felt a great burning in her lip as her jaw began to ache, and she began to be turned, by Regina's arms. "Emma, oh my god, are you okay? You're bleeding!"

Emma took her good hand to her mouth, touching her lower lip, feeling the hot liquid there. "E – Emma..." Her mom whispered, and Emma lifted her gaze to her, seeing how shocked she was. She was trembling, as tears were already in her cheeks, her gaze lost on her. "I – I didn't want..." She stepped closer to them, but Regina quickly got up.

"You stay away from her! Graham, Graham come here, now!"

Graham entered the house in a second, almost pulling the door down. His gaze was quickly on Emma, as his eyes widened and he was willing to go to her, to help her. But Regina got in his way, so Emma decided to get up herself.

"Get her! I want her arrested, now!" She yelled to Graham, her finger pointing to her mom.

Her mother seemed to have no notion of what Regina was saying, her eyes were still on her, and Emma could see what she was feeling. She wanted to apologize, but she didn't know how. Emma was scared, but she knew she didn't it on purpose. She could never hit her, ever. But both of them were in shock, although it was Emma who reacted when Graham grabbed her mother's arm.

"No, no!" She screamed, trying to get close to them, but Regina interposed in her way, surrounding her body by her arms. "No, what are you doing?! She did not want to! It was a mistake, let her go, Graham!"

Regina tightened her grip on her. "She wanted to hit me! Take her to the station, or to the hospital, but get her out of my sight now!"

"No, Mom! No!"

Finally, her mother blinked as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Emma, I'm – I'm sorry..." She muttered, starting to walk back as Graham was pulling her arm to take her.

Emma felt the desperation get to her, and finally, her own tears started coming out from her eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called anyone, I'm sorry! Please, don't take her!"

"Sheriff, she may try to escape, so put the handcuffs on her!"

Graham looked at her sadly. "Regina, I don't think..."

"DO IT!"

Graham sighed and removed the handcuffs from his belt, placing her mom's hands on her back, and then there were handcuffed around her writs as if she were a criminal. She continued fighting in Regina's grip, but it was in vain. She was stronger than her.

Graham took her mother's arms, making her turn around, and started to take her from the house. The door was closed, as Regina moved away from her. She turned and looked at her with such hatred that she never believed she could have at Regina.

"What the hell have you done?! You were supposed to help her, not arrest her!"

"Emma! She hit you! And she was about to hit me, she has to be carried somewhere!"

"She's my mom!" Emma yelled, turning and running towards the door.

"Emma, come here!" Regina shouted behind her as she opened the door and ran down the stairs, with hopes that she could reach them.

Her whole body was hurting her, her wounds, her legs, and now her jaw and her lip, but she had to hit the streets. Regina was running after her, but she didn't want even turned to face her. She ran down the last few steps and got out of the place, looking in all directions.

The Sheriff's patrol had just folded in the corner, but she could not tell if they were heading to the sheriff's station, or to the hospital, that was the same path to take. And she was running out of air, so she could not run anymore.

One hand slid down her shoulder, and she clenched her fists in anger to know who it was. "Emma, I'm sorry, I didn't want this to happen but..." She sighed slightly. "Now you must come with me to my house, it's the best..."

Emma felt the anger running through her veins. She had never felt this way. She had trusted in Regina, and she had betrayed her. She had trusted her when she had called for her to go to her house so she could help her mother. All she did was increasing the anger in her mother, because she didn't forget her smiles at her, when it was not a moment to smile at all. She wanted her mother to go to the hospital because she was worried for her, but Regina had gone to her home with Graham, the sheriff, as if her mother was crazy or she could escape from somewhere.

"Let's go, sweetie..." Regina tried to take her hand, but Emma turned away from her abruptly, turning to face her.

She didn't change her look cold, not her eyes full of anger and hatred, and to Regina's surprised look, she knew that it was truly remarkable. And she knew that although she wasn't biologically related to Regina, she had taken some of her personality. When she was angry, she was_really_ angry. And if she had learned something bad from Regina, it was intimidating people.

"You better get my mom out of jail, because if you don't... you will see what I'm capable of."

Emma turned around and walked over to Regina's car, getting into the back seat, shutting the door tightly. She looked straight ahead, not wanting to re-look at the mayor. She wanted to keep quiet, because if she started talking, she would further hurt Regina with her words. And god, how she wanted to… because if there was something that Emma couldn't bear, was to see how someone was hurting her mother. And she didn't know why, but Regina was doing it, and like hell she was going to let her do it.

* * *

**This chapter is fast since the last chapters! Well, I had my inspiration and this time I didn't hesitate to start to write the chapter, and I finished it pretty quickly.**

**As always, thank you very much for your reviews! I love reading every one of them, and I'm anxious to see what you all think of this chapter. Please don't hesitate to leave me a review! :)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

_Emma looked out, anxious. She had loved spending the night with Regina, it was the first time, and it had been funny and good, even Regina had told her that she now had her own room in her house. And she was very happy; she loved Regina as much as she loved her mother, so now she was looking out anxiously to see her mother in the park somewhere._

_The car stopped, and so six years old Emma moved her head to Regina. "I know what you want to do," She smiled gently. "You can go now."_

_Emma frowned a little scared. "Will you go to your work?"_

_"Of course not, but I can't catch you up as you're running to your mother." Emma smiled. "Now go, I'll be there in a minute."_

_Emma didn't have to be told twice. She opened the car door and jumped out, looking in all directions to see where her mother was. Regina had told her that they had agreed to meet in the park. She walked a few steps forward, a frown on her face as she didn't see her mother on any side. Maybe she had forgotten her?_

_"Emma!"_

_Emma looked quickly to one side, and saw her mother getting up from a bench, adjusting her purse to her shoulder. "Mama!" She shouted as she ran to her Mama._

Emma opened her eyes, and kept her eyes on the window which was a few meters away from her. She frowned, knowing that in her room the window was not what she first saw. It was her closet. She rolled over in bed and groaned to feel a big pain in her arm. She lowered her gaze to her arm in a cast, remembering it. But then, she looked up, and saw that she was in her room, but at Regina's house.

The images of the previous day came to her mind. She and her mother arriving home from the hospital, she discussed with Regina, her mother helped her get a shower, then she started to say that the book of fairy tales was real. She called Regina, and Regina only served to annoy her mother. Her mother hit her by mistake, and Regina made a scandal about it, and Graham took her mother. She had no choice but to go to Regina to her house.

The door opened slowly, and Emma moved her gaze toward it, seeing Regina poke up her head. "Oh, you're awake..." She smiled, opening the door completely and coming in. "I made you breakfast..."

"Where's my mom?"

Regina's smile faded, but Emma didn't care. Yesterday she was angry like hell, and now she was totally hurt. "Emma..."

Emma got up from the bed. "I need her... I just got out of the hospital, she helped me bathe, I need her..."

Regina sighed and walked toward her. "I can help you, too..."

"No." Regina's eyes went completely cold and angry, and before she could say anything, Emma said. "She is my mom."

"She's not even your real mother! I raised you as she did!"

The girl could feel her eyes fill with tears. She knew that Mary Margaret was not her real mother, but she really was, because she had no other mother out there, just a woman who gave birth to her. A lump formed in her throat as she looked up at Regina again. "She's still my mom."

Regina's face softened as her eyes widened in surprise, as if she had just realized something. She raised her hand and stroked her hair, and Emma didn't do anything to get away; if she would get angrier with Regina, she wouldn't listen to her pleas about her mother. Regina moved her head to the side slightly and moved her hand away from her hair, as she turned around and was heading toward the door. Emma stood still in her place stood and looked away, sighing sadly. But out of the corner of her eye she saw Regina stopped at the door and turn around, so she looked at her.

"I told Graham to take her out of jail. She's in the hospital now."

Emma could not keep her lips move in a small hopeful smile. "Can I see her?"

"We'll talk about that later." She shifted her gaze to the side, and Emma followed her gaze, seeing a bag on the desk chair. "I went to your house to get your clothes while you were asleep. You can get dressed and go down to breakfast."

Emma nodded slightly, and Regina formed a small smile before leaving her room. The girl sighed in relief that her mother at least was in the hospital, and not locked behind bars as if she were a criminal. She walked to the desk chair, leaving her cell phone in it. She opened the bag and saw her clothes in it, even her school uniform. She frowned, why Regina would bring her so many clothes? Maybe she really didn't know what to bring. Emma looked a few seconds to the desktop, and her gaze was fixed on a photo that was there. There were she, her mother and Regina.

She reached out her hand and took it, remembering that day. She was twelve years old, and it was her birthday, but she didn't want to do anything special about it, so they went to the beach. It was a beautiful day, and that day had been one of the most beautiful days of her life. There in that picture the three of them were lying on the sand, she was in the middle of them, the three of them smiling, and she was holding the camera up to take the picture.

A few tears escaped from Emma's eyes, so she left the photo where it was and wiped the tears from her cheeks, to then take the bag and go to bed.

* * *

Regina walked into the kitchen and put her hands on the table, letting out a long sigh. What she had done? She had hurt Emma saying that Mary Margaret was not her real mother, she couldn't help it, the words left her mouth before she could think twice. The thing was that Mary Margaret was indeed her mother, but she had raised her as she did, she had no more right than her about Emma. Hadn't she?

She loved Emma, and she knew her more than anyone, as Mary Margaret did. And now, thank goodness, she didn't see the hatred in her eyes, but pure pain. Her green eyes were full of tears and pain, as if she really was suffering for all that was going on about Mary Margaret. But she didn't understand why she did that.

Regina knew that at some point Snow would want to tell the truth to Emma, and when that happened, she should act like she didn't know what she was talking, as if she was crazy. And she did it. But it also hurt her. She didn't want to get to this point, but if that happened, she would have to do that. And she could see the pain of confusion and betrayal in Snow's eyes when she was saying she didn't know what she was talking about. It hurt her, but it was something she had to do, for Emma's sake. And then when Snow wanted to hit her, and she mistakenly hit Emma, she couldn't help got angry like never before.

The fact that Snow wanted to put Emma against her and then that she had hit her, even by mistake, had got her _so_ angry. She didn't need to think twice; she knew she had to get her away from Emma as fast as possible.

But after Emma said to her that before entering the car, she saw what she had done. That day in the morning, she got up and called Graham, telling him he had to get Mary Margaret from jail and take her to the hospital. Then she went at Mary Margaret and Emma's house, and she quickly took Emma's clothes, not wanting to see any pictures of her with Mary Margaret, because she felt guilty, but she knew she _didn't_ have to feel it. Emma was first to everything and everyone. Surely, Snow and Charming once promised it. She once promised it with Mary Margaret.

_"If ever something happens to one of us..." Mary Margaret said when both of them were watching Emma sleeping. That same day she'd wanted to escape by finding out that she was adopted, and then she had learned that her parents had abandoned her. Now she was asleep, peacefully, in Mary Margaret's bed. "We don't have to think about ourselves, we have to think just in her. What will be best for her. If anything ever happens to me, you have to take care of her, Regina." _

_"I know." She replied, nodding slightly, as Emma clung, still asleep, her stuffed swan to her body. "She's always going to come before us." _

_Mary Margaret nodded, a small smile forming, still watching her sleeping daughter. "And everything and everyone."_

Regina sighed deeply and looked at the table in front of her, watching the breakfast she had prepared for Emma. Cereal, French toast, orange juice and hot chocolate with cinnamon. She didn't know what to make her this time, so she did what she knew she loved Emma. But she frowned, realizing that Emma was taking so long. She probably was having trouble dressing, with her arm in a cast; she needed help, so she was going to help her.

She came out from the kitchen and was quick to get to Emma's room. She knocked on the door. "Emma, do you need help?"

"No..." Emma said, opening the door. "I got it. Now, can we go to see my mother?"

Regina sighed slightly. This girl didn't give up easily. "Emma, go to breakfast and..."

"I want to see her. I need to."

She looked at Emma's eyes, so determined, so full of pain but still firm. She indeed had her mother's eyes. "No, you can't see her."

Emma frowned quickly. "Why not?"

Regina sighed. "She can't have visitors for now, and I do not think it's a good idea for her to see you. I think maybe in a few days, you can see her."

Emma stared at her for long seconds, then she frowned angrily. "You're lying to me."

It surprised her that Emma could see that she really was lying. The idea was that she would not see Mary Margaret in a long time, but she could not say it. It took her a second to act as if she had offended. "Emma, I would be unable to lie to you!"

Emma looked at her for a few seconds, she was seeing if she was lying again. Then, her eyes widened. "Why do you keep lying to me?! Why are you doing this?! You're ruining everything!"

"I am ruining everything?! Is your mother who ruined everything!"

Emma's eyes filled with tears, but her lips were still clenched, as if she were holding back her anger. Regina looked at her eyes again; they were full of tears, but because anger. "I won't live with you; I want to see my mom! Now!"

"Enough!" She had to shout, Emma was yelling at her, and she couldn't allow that. Now she couldn't concentrate on Emma's painful words against her. "I don't care what you want or not, I know what's best for you. You _are_ staying with me."

"So what?" Regina stepped back, feeling the tone of her voice. It really was as if she were arguing with Snow White. Now she knew where Emma had taken the wild spirit. "I am a prisoner until I grow up?"

Regina kept her eyes on Emma, but smiled slightly, trying to soften the moment. "Emma, I brought you here because I love you."

Emma smirked, as she always toward every time she would say something ironic. "So I am a prisoner because you love me?"

She remembered how many times she had thought the same of herself many years ago when she just wanted to be free and her mother just wanted her to marry the king. "You're not a prisoner. I know _what_ it is to be a prisoner, and you're not a prisoner."

Emma stared at her, but this time she wasn't looking for a lie in her eyes. She just... stared. And then, she frowned. "You're not taking me to see my mother?"

Regina put her mask again. She wouldn't give up. "No."

"You can't be with me here forever. You will go and I'm going to go see her."

Regina shook her head slightly. "No, when I go to my work, you're going to go with me."

Emma frowned. "No!"

"Yes." She turned and walked toward the stairs. "Oh, and don't try to escape, the door is locked and I have your keys."

"So, not a prisoner, huh? Why you don't want me to see my mother?"

Regina turned, seeing Emma's angry gaze. "She's dangerous now. She had a fit of rage and hit you; I'm not exposing you to the same scene again."

"She hit me by accident!"

"Because she was going to hit me instead." Emma closed her mouth at that, but then opened it again. "She's dangerous for both of us. We have to stay away from her."

"She's your best friend, you shouldn't worry if she's dangerous for you or not, you were supposed to help her!"

Regina crossed her arms over her chest. "And I helped her. She's in a hospital..."

"No. You made things worse." Emma sighed slightly and walked toward her, but walked down the stairs. "I'm going to breakfast. You won."

She smirked, assuming that she had won a share of this. Regina turned as Emma stopped walking down the stairs, and turned around. "Can you bring me my pills? I have to take them now, and I can't find them. Because you brought them, didn't you?"

"Yes, they're in the bag."

"But I couldn't find them. It was my _mom_ who gave them to me yesterday."

Regina narrowed her eyes at her, being very able to learn the meaning of her words. "Okay. Wait me in the kitchen but begins to breakfast."

Emma rolled her eyes and walked down the stairs, as Regina turned and walked over to Emma's room. She came in and went into the bag, pulling out all the clothes that were there. At the bottom of it, there it was the pills. She took the small bag from it and walked out of the room. She knew this was hard for Emma, but she would get used to this; she had to.

As she walked down the stairs, she began to think of the damage she was doing to Emma. She didn't want to, but she could not help it. The girl still didn't see that it was better for her than she was with her and not with Mary Margaret. Emma was fifteen years less than a month ago; she was not able to break a curse. She would be better off living with her just like a normal girl.

"Emma?" She called out as she was heading to the kitchen. "Here are your pills, but I need to know what time you should take each one and..." She went into the kitchen, and shut her mouth shocked when she saw that the kitchen was empty. "Emma?" She left the little bag on the table and looked around. "Emma!" She called out again, no response. She ran to the door that was heading towards the garden and tried to open it, but it was locked, as she had left it. "Emma?" She ran out from the kitchen to start looking for the girl in the house.

* * *

Snow opened her eyes and looked around, seeing that she was in the hospital, and when she had closed her eyes... hours ago? Or minutes? She couldn't say clearly, today morning Graham had brought her here, and even though she knew he didn't want to, Regina gave him orders. Since Graham was gone, the doctors began to make her studies, because he certainly had told them that they were to verify that she hadn't hit her head. Maybe he told them about what she was saying about fairy tales too, and that was because psychologists had come to talk to her. But she had been neutral; just replied that she didn't know what they were talking about.

She knew, however. But she couldn't sucking up to Regina. She was doing all this for her to seem crazy, so she would stay with Emma. And Emma was her daughter. Her baby. Snow sighed lightly and closed her eyes, thinking how her baby girl might be now. Would she be missing her? Did she take the pills she had to take? Oh god, if she had to deny everything about who she really was, who her daughter really was, she would. Everything for get back to her daughter.

The door began to open slightly, and Snow leaned her head on her pillow again. She closed her eyes and began to breathe easy, as if she were asleep. She didn't want to talk to doctors or psychologists, although they surely wake her up. But she heard the door close as she continued to pretend to be asleep. Oh, she didn't want any nurse to wake her, or actually find that she wasn't asleep.

"Mom?"

Her eyes snapped open, and she found her daughter standing in the doorway, her beautiful, delicate face totally scared. Snow didn't know what to do. She sat on the bed watching her, and she could see her eyes filled with tears, yet scared. She moved her eyes to her mouth, watching her lower lip slightly match. Because of her. She had hit her. She couldn't say anything if Emma was scared of her.

"Mom..." Emma repeated, as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry..." Snow felt her heart break when her baby girl's face broke into tears. "I am _so_ sorry!"

Snow barely had time to open her arms when Emma ran to her. The older woman wrapped her in her arms as she felt her arm in a cast in the middle of them, but her good arm was around her, and her head rested on her shoulder. And her little girl was crying like never before.

"I'm so sorry; I never wanted any of this to happen." Emma started to say in the middle of her cry. "I wanted to help, I –"

Snow sighed. "I know, I know baby, I know." She said back and forth stroking Emma's back. "I'm the one who has to apologize."

She felt Emma's head shake in her shoulder. "No, it's all my fault..."

She sighed again and took Emma's head, moving her away from her. "Hey, no, listen to me, Emma. Listen." Their green eyes met, and Snow gently stroked her cheeks, wiping her tears. "It's not your fault, trust me on this. None of this is your fault, Emma."

"I shouldn't have called Regina, I don't know what's wrong with her, I ran away from her home because she didn't want me to see you. She's got me there as a prisoner because she doesn't want us together!"

Snow quickly frowned, feeling the worry getting to her. "As a prisoner? What?"

Emma took a deep breath, sitting in front of her mother. "She didn't want me to see you, I had to escape. She doesn't know I'm here..."

"But she already knows." She shook her head and closed her eyes, still able to hear Emma's sobs. This shouldn't be happening. Her daughter was the hardest hit in her fight with Regina. She opened her eyes again and held out her hands, drying Emma's tears. "She's coming here to take you back."

Emma's eyes widened and she quickly began to shake her head quickly. "I don't want to! I'm going to run away, I don't want to live with her like this, I love her, I do! But she will not let me see you again. Ever."

"Emma, it's not like that..."

"It is!" Emma quickly shouted, and Snow could feel her breathing become more rapid. "I could tell that she was lying when she said that I would be able to see you in a few days. She's crazy, Mom! Not you!"

Snow frowned, and then her eyes widened. "What? Emma... do you... believe me about the fairy tales?"

Emma frowned confused. "What? No. I know that probably you've hit your head and you can't remember any of that, but you're not crazy!"

"There's a way that all this stops."

Emma quickly focused on her. "How?"

"Why do you think Regina and I are fighting so much?"

Emma frowned slightly, as if she were trying to remember. "She said... she said that you were saying that fairy tales are real to weeks ago, so you two were starting to get bad. And she told you that you didn't have to tell me any of this. "

"Emma, please. You know Snow White and The Evil Queen's story. Regina woke up the day of your birthday, the curse is really true. And I woke up the day of your accident. Do you remember these days? Regina fainted, I almost did..."

"No, Mom, please, you have to listen to me! I know that seems to be real. I know how it feels to believe in something and nobody believes you. But that book is not real, nothing that says there is real!"

"You should hear what she's saying..."

Snow moved her gaze to the door as Emma jumped from the bed and stood transfixed at her side. There Regina was standing at the door, but with two nurses at her sides. She frowned slightly, and quickly took Emma's hand in hers, knowing that again, Regina had everything planned. She came with nurses to have witnesses. She spoke of the curse in front of the nurses. This was not good.

"She is _my_ daughter." Snow said, her eyes fixed on Regina . Though, Regina smiled slightly and walked a few steps toward her.

"So, she's your daughter, but you're trying that she believes in something incoherent?"

"Please, Regina, please..." Emma murmured, her hand clutching at hers. "Please don't do this to her. "

Regina's gaze moved towards Emma, and for a moment Snow thought that she was reconsidering about all this. Emma's face it was filled with sadness and tears, it could soften any heart. "Emma, I'm doing this for your own sake..."

"Her sake?" Snow could not help crying. "Everything you want is to win! You always wanted to win! But you're not winning this!"

Regina kept her eyes on her for a few seconds before turning around and nodded to the nurses. The nurses began to approach her as Emma's hand gripped hers.

"No, back off!" Emma screamed before she could do it, but it wasn't as if she could do something with an arm cast. She could just hold on to one of her hands as if her life depended on it. "Back away!" She yelled at the nurses again.

"I'm not crazy!" This time Snow shouted, trying to get away from the nurse's grips as doctors entered the room. One of the doctors was placed on the side where Emma was, and made them drop their hands. "Emma!"

"Mom!" Emma called after the doctor, as Regina approached her and took her good arm.

"Emma, don't make this more difficult, let's go."

"Regina, leave her alone!" Snow shouted as she continued trying to get rid of doctors and nurses' grip began to inject her tranquilizers. "Regina!"

"I'm going to take care of her as you can't do, my friend." She tightened her grip on Emma's arm and this time, Emma didn't make a scandal about it. She knew she was going to be taken away from her mother again.

"I will get you out of here, Mom! I promise!" It was the last thing Snow heard from Emma. She quickly managed to move her head to the side, but the door was already closed. Regina had taken her daughter again.

"I'm not going to go anywhere!" Emma once said outside the room, getting rid of Regina's grip abruptly.

"You can't run away Emma! Do you know the fright you gave me?!"

"I don't care! Maybe she's not crazy, right? Maybe she's right, because you really seem to be the Evil Queen."

Emma could see a flash of pain in Regina's eyes and something else, but she could not distinguish. "Emma, I'm not evil."

"Yes you are." Emma didn't want this to happen. She didn't want to get into another heated argument with Regina because she was going to say hurtful words, but she was tired of everything. She was tired of her. "You were always evil to everyone, maybe everyone was right and you never love me, you just pretended to!"

"No, no, no!" Regina said loudly, and for the first time Emma could see the real pain in her eyes. "No, I do love you Emma, you can never doubt that!"

"And I _hate_ you." She spat the words she had been trying not to say, because they were not true, or maybe they were now. She was so sick of Regina's attitudes. "And I will never, _ever_, forgive you for this."

Suddenly, her mother's voice reached their ears. "EMMA!"

Emma closed her eyes, feeling tears come to her again. She didn't want to cry in front of anyone, not her mother, but she couldn't help it minutes ago, and now she didn't want to cry in front of Regina, but she couldn't help it. She burst into tears again as she walked by at Regina's side, knowing she was going to walk behind her at any time and take her to her home again. Although now she was shocked by her words. But Emma didn't care. She continued sobbing as the tears rolled down her cheeks because she had to walk away from her mother.

* * *

**It seems alike to the last chapter, but I just needed something more to attract Emma's real anger. And now there is. The next chapter is going to be different though, trust me. I'm really anxious to see what you think of this chapter.**

**Thank you very much for the reviews, but I always say, they really make my day! Hope to see them in this chapter too :)**

**And thanks for reading!**


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